


Heart of Liquid

by Bokutie



Category: Voltron: Defender of the Universe, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Child of the Ocean Lance, College AU, Demigod AU, Hunk is a good boy, Keith explodes in flames when hes angry, Keith has so many knives, Lance with insecurities, Langst, M/M, So it's safe, klangst, not underage because I aged them all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-04 01:45:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10264490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bokutie/pseuds/Bokutie
Summary: Ever since Lance was a small child he has wanted to go to the Demigod school: CaeLum. After coming across reddish-purple eyes, an awful mullet, and doll-like skin; he has come to a conclusion.Water isn't the only thing that he can't seem to control.Demigod AU that no one asked for.





	1. The Demigod School CaeLum

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is gonna be a slowburn fic. 
> 
> I'm working on it with my friend Mew, and it might turn into a ShKlance fic. For now, it's Klance though because I'm such a sucker for them. Especially Lance.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His mother said no; and 'no' wasn't in his vocabulary.

His mother's face just seemed to get redder and redder as the water circulating around her cocoa skin boiled. The silence was almost painful before her fingers clicked against the throne's arm in an almost harmonious beat.

“ _Lance Juniper McClain_. If you think for one moment I am letting you go to that...demigod school for one moment. Then you are sorely mistaken.”

Her crystalline eyes connected with his own in a heated battle. Everyone quaked around them in fear as the two stared each other down. It was as if the Pacific and Atlantic oceans had met in a fierce battle where the winner would simply consume the loser.

“Moooommm! You have kept me down here my entire life! That's _almost_ 23 years!” He chirped out in a drawn out whine.

Her features seemed to soften before drawing back into her previous anger. “You know that I have done so to protect you Lance...”, she whispered solemnly as her fingers moved to rub out the wrinkles that plagued her brow. “Your father would have--”

His voice bounced around the room in a destructive echo as he looked at his mother with a pained expression,“my father isn't here!” Lance's arms waved and shook by his sides as he motioned around the room to show that no father-figure of his was there.

Her eyes widened and her figure went erect in shock as she slowly lowered her arm back to it's rightful place on the arm of jewels and gold that was her throne. In a fluid-like movement she stood and began to descend the coral steps in a heated rhythm. The water had stopped it's swishing and swaying to settle for a more serene movement.

“Yes, you are correct. He is no longer here, but that does not mean that his will isn't with us any longer. Nor does it mean that I will allow my child, a boy of the ripe age of 22, to leave my protection for a world filled with monsters. I am as old as the sea, you have yet to even reach the age of a full-grown _barnacle_.”

The fabrics that hugged her body moved gently before all went still as she came face to face with her son. Her water-colored hair framing her features to make her look like a goddess as it splashed forwards and then stilled with her movement. Lance had suddenly stood straighter and his eyes looked down to meet hers. The queen may have been shorter than him by half a head, but she was just as threatening as the Megalodon shark that once dwelled in their sea.

He didn't dare speak until he was sure she was finished talking. Her dark and thin fingers reached out to caress his face in a loving movement, and he felt his adam's apple bob. The women's thumb would stroke under his eye in repeated movements until Lance had let the calming effect crash against his body in waves.

“You know how much you mean to me, and I know how much this means to you. So I will allow it, but only, _only_ , if you can accept the rules that come with it.”

“Anything Ma...”, he whispered gently as his head tilted more into her touch. His eyes seemed to scream how apologetic he was before they turned into something mischievous. The blue oceanic iris twirled and the tan eye-lids went half-lidded as a cheeky smile graced his lips. “I can't believe you just told everyone how old you wer-”.

Before he could finish, a bubble of water had crashed above his head and his eyes widened in shock as his brown hair stuck to his forehead in small tendrils. His long eyelashes blinked away the salty water as he brought his hands up to his face to make sure none of the liquid got into his eyes. It dripped down the fabrics that adorned his body, and soaked in while hitting the floor to form a messy puddle on the marble. 

“Do not point out a lady's mistakes. And I am most positive that no one in this room heard that. Am I right?”

Both her arms swung out to the sky as her voice trailed the dome room. People among the Colosseum-like stand shook their heads and some even looked away to chuckle at the prince's misfortune.

Lance's bottom lip stuck out in a pout before he moved his hand up to the side of his body and made a jellyfish movement with each of his fingers. The water shakily pulled away from his body slowly and bended to his will as it swirled in the palm of his hand messily. His normally straight hair began to curl upwards as it dried. Once all the water was gathered in a horrible attempt at a sphere within his hand, he tried to move it back into one of the two large columns of water beside his mother's throne.

Luckily, he succeeded.

His mother made a pleased hum at her son's unusually steady control, and Lance grinned before she twirled around and began to ascend the steps. With each step towards her lovely throne, came a rule. Rules in which Lance knew that should he break them, his mother would have no mercy on his half-mortal soul.

“I believe Hunk is going to the demigod school, correct? I will contact his mother and have you put in most of the classes he is in. Should anyone threaten you, or even show so much as a sign of harming you, then I will be pulling you out. No relationships with the other gods. Poseidon knows how much relationships with demigods goes. Make sure not to anger any of your teachers; they aren't demigods and we have a reputation to uphold dearest. Which brings me to my last rule.”

She finally sat down and her eyes met Lance's steadily, only now it looked as if a storm was brewing in hers at the thought of having her son leave her side where he would be safest. 

“You are to return here to me unharmed eventually...”, she whispered and the room was suddenly filled with silence. Not even the water seemed to have any comment to that last rule. It was a moment of weakness for the queen and everyone knew that very well. And no one dared to comment on it.

“Of course Ma”, Lance said as he looked up at his mother with as much love as he could portray. 

She looked down before taking a deep breath and proceeding to look back up. Only this time there was no weakness, only power and strength. She held her face high, and Lance could only bask in her unending glory.

“Well, what are you waiting for, go pack child. I will be contacting the school today. They will be ready for you to join the class tomorrow. Come see me before you leave; I have something to give you.”

“Thank you mother”, he spoke out evenly before twirling around fluidly.

Lance nodded to himself and turned around to walk out the overly large doors which swerved shut the moment he left with a echoing bang. He didn't dare look back. If he did, he might have lost the will to leave the only home he had ever known.

–

Lance's smile smoothed across his features as his walk quickly turned into a fast-paced jog. He couldn't believe it. Yes, he was scared, maybe even terrified to be leaving the only place he had ever known. But, god was he excited to be going some place new. He remembered the way his father used to sit with him in his king-like bed and tell him stories of a world he only dreamed of knowing. 

Little Lance would lay in a bed overflowing with plush blankets, dolls of sea creatures, and pillows while his father's deep voice cascaded over him. He would watch as his dad made hand motions and told a story with excitement as a smile danced over his features in a childish way.

Sometimes Lance would find his father's expressions even more interesting than the stories he told. The way the events in his life had made him feel made Lance envious and perhaps even slightly jealous. 

When his mother came in to join them, she would join in happily to add in small details that may have seemed unimportant, but god how they had made everything so much more different. Her hands would move to pull water into the sky above them, and as his dad told the story his mother would make shapes and illustrations of water to make everything more complete and realistic.

His favorite story they told was the one of the legendary defender: Voltron, and how a frisky, uneven team had banded together to defeat a common enemy despite their differences. The only other tale that could compare to that story was the one of how his mother had met their father and how lance had been born. 

He couldn't help the breathy laugh that escaped his chest as he remembered how he had reached out to touch the water illustration of his family watching the stars and how that touch had led to the family made of water splashing across himself and his father who had to cover his mouth to muffle cries of laughter at Lance's shock. The way his dad would roll around on the bed in horrible attempts to stifle his laughter would make his mother's calm exterior crack as she began to putter out giggles. Eventually she was laughing louder than his father as she used her water-bending abilities to pull the water off her child and husband.

That was the story that made him want to go to CaeLum.

CaeLum was a very, very, very old demigod school. Children from all over the face of the world would gather at this prestigious institute where they would learn how to control their abilities or learn how to live a normal life. Some simply would live there most of their lives in order to educate themselves and live a peaceful life. It may have been a school but it was large enough to be a city.

A very advanced city filled with some of the most highly-named figures.

Before Lance even realized it, he was in front of his room door. The memories of his childhood fading into the back of his mind to be remembered another time. 

His large, yet feminine hand grasped the crystalline doorknob and pulled the door of stone open smoothly. He pattered into his room in joy and jumped from place to place amongst the riches of the ocean to gather the things he would need for his stay in the upper surface. After a hour or two, he had two suitcases filled with clothes and some other unnecessary items and one bag filled with beauty products.

As he moved to grab the two suitcases with one bag wrapped around his neck and resting on his stomach; he froze in realization. The bag resting on his stomach stilled as he stopped walking and the rolling of his suitcase's wheels joined the silence as he stared his stone door frame down. 

His appearance. 

Lance couldn't go to a school filled with other demigod teens who were learning to control their powers dressed as a wealthy fish-like prince. He would stick out like a sore thumb!

Lance let go of the suitcases and let the handles on each clatter to the floor. His hands wrapped around his bag strap and he lifted it over his neck only to throw it to the left suitcase where it rolled and clattered to the ground in a similar fashion as the suitcases. 

His body flipped around and he ran over to his walk-in closet that had been emptied out almost completely. What can he say, there was so much he couldn't _not_ pack. 

Lance looked at the reflection in the mirror with a contemplating hum. His scleras were as black as the darkest depths of the sea, his pupils no different. The only color to contrast against such a dark was his beautiful ocean iris's which would bend and change with each emotion he had. They were truly the doors to his soul like his father had told him multiple times before the accident.

His hair was once again a straight dark brown and ruffled in a messy yet complementary way. Much too short to hide his pointed ears which were graced with blue jewels, pearls, and other crystal clear jewelry. His skin was a cocoa tan that resembled his mother's more than his fathers, the only difference among the canvas of brown was the many black tattoos he had gotten when he was 18 to rebel against his overprotective mother. 

He never wanted to remember how angry she had gotten and the way he wasn't able to go out to the Pacific festival that year. Her red face as she peeled clothing off him to look at all the new colors that replaced his tan as he struggled against her.

Lance puffed out a breath as he shook his head and went back to look at the gills on his neck and his perfectly serrated white teeth that had no other purpose other than to rip and tear. As he opened his mouth he stuck his tongue out to check on his pearl-tongue piercing that graced his pink tongue. His favorite piercing by far, only the pain of not being able to speak for a week was still fresh in his brain. Finally, he came to a awful conclusion.

He couldn't go to school looking like this. 

But, it seems like he didn't exactly have a choice in the matter, now did he? He could kind of control water, and morph the ocean to suit any need he had and yet, the one need he had couldn't be met. Water wasn't going to help him change his appearance.

Lance sighed before changing into some more modern clothes, like a hoodie with a shark on it and some torn-up jeans with a pair of old vans. He lifted the hood of his dark blue hoodie over his head once he was done changing, and pulled the drawstrings tightly to hide some of his more prominent features like the gills and ears. Before picking up his bags, he pulled his skinny jeans up a little more and reached for his fallen bag and suitcases. 

Finally, he shoved open his stone door and began to walk towards the portal room.

Once entering the large room filled with vases and other priceless items he knew his mother loved to collect, his eyes immediately met with ones very similar to his own, and ones that were nothing like his.

There was his little sister pouting heavily in his mother's lap. The queen visibly stressed while she tried to cheer up the angry child by bouncing them on her leg. Lance's heart panged slightly with guilt, knowing he was the one to make his little sister so angry.

He knew his sister wouldn't be able to leave the undersea world. She had the misfortune of receiving more of their father's genes instead of their mothers. And not the magical side of his father's genes. No, she had received the _human_ ones.

The only way you could see she was indeed a child of the ocean was by gazing at the gills that graced both sides of her lighter skin. The way they opened and closed the only sign she was different than any other human out there. Lance immediately met his mother's eyes to avoid dwelling on his upsetting thoughts, and like always his mother seemed to see right through him. 

No one besides his parents could see through the smiling masks he wore. Not even his little sister could see how he was truly feeling. And sometimes it made him sick that they could notice his feelings when he preferred for them to stay in the bottle. 

She easily picked up the curly long-haired girl and set her on the ground only for the child to run over and hit Lance in the knee with a balled up fist.

He dropped each suitcase to pull his knee up and let out a pained yelp. 

“Ow! Anahi what the hell!!” 

The girl went right back into crossing her arms and Lance finally stopped jumping around and cursing in Atlantean to see the big globs of tears that she was fighting to hold back so she could stay angry.

Ah. 

Lance's brotherly side kicked in and he kneeled down shakily, ignoring the small pangs of pain, to pull the girl into a sappy hug. No amount of emotional pain could compare to what she was perhaps feeling as of this moment.

It was like a tsunami crashing against land when the little girl smashed her face into the gills on his neck and sobbed. He frail yet chubby arms looping around his neck as she lost the will to stand, which in turn made Lance fall back to sit on the ground instead of kneeling as he hugged her tighter.

The sobs that wracked her body trailed guilt through his as he felt the moisture soak into his skin and hoodie.

After a while of crying, Anahi had finally let go to talk with Lance normally, while their mother calmly watched the scene play out.

“You'll come back and visit wight”, she sniffled into his shoulder before moving her hands to wipe away the tear stains that trailed along her splotched face. Lance glanced at their mother who looked like she was expecting as much of an answer as her daughter.

Lance looked right back into the coffee brown eyes on his little sister. “Yeah, of course I will. Why wouldn't I? You think I could actually leave and never come back to visit my favorite little sister”, he teased playfully to try and bring up her mood. 

He brought his face close to hers and bumped their foreheads together. He rubbed his nose side-to-side against hers in a loving motion. 

“I'm your only sister”, she whispered, but the smile Lance had grown to adore the moment she was born was back on her freckled face, and he couldn't help but feel a similar one mirror on his own.

Lance patted her head contentedly and stood up. He helped the small child to a stand too before he moved to grab his bag and suitcases. Who knows how many times he had dropped them at this point.

God, how he wanted to let the storm of emotions in his chest out and sob with his little sister. But, he couldn't. If he did, his mother would never let him leave and there was no way he wasn't going to school with Hunk again. 

School with Hunk when he was 5 was fun and skype calling on the internet just wasn't enough anymore. He wanted to meet with the elder's friends, and be a part of the stories the earth-bender told. He didn't want to sit, no, he couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore and live a life that wasn't fulfilling.

His mother tapped his shoulder to pull him out of his thoughts while his sister hugged his legs tightly.

Lance looked up with a reassuring smile and before he could comment on anything she placed a blue jewel on his forehead and watched closely as Lance's skin melded around the foreign object to welcome it.

Lance stood there in shock at the uncomfortable feeling and reached up to touch it, but before he could trail his clawed fingers across it, his mother smacked his hand away.

“No touching, let it work it's magic”, she said sternly.

Lance felt queasy as his gills, sharp ears, serrated teeth, and the black sclera of his eyes disappeared. All that stood left was a sick looking human with beautiful blue eyes, rebellious tattoos, piercings, and a blue jewel on his forehead.

His face turned to a sickly green as he silently prayed that he had one free hand open to clutch at his mouth to stop the vomiting feeling. Instead, he settled with biting his lip and then taking a deep breath.

“Poseidon...What on earth was that...”, he muttered. He had to hold his suitcase handles tighter so as not to drop them on the ground once again.

His eyes twirled with a bluish-gray as he gave his mom a questioning look, which she only responded with a cheery one.

“It's a dew drop. The one my mother gave to me when I went to CaeLum, so my appearance wouldn't scare the other kids. You're appearance however, even as a demigod, was certainly more human than mine was.”

Lance didn't doubt that, his mother was the god of the ocean and had been for the last 2,000 years. He appearance would change with how she desired it too, and sometimes the ocean-like monsters she took form of were too much for him or anyone else to handle.

“To take it out, simply do what you would do to pull water off yourself or someone else. And to put it back on, try to push water onto yourself. However, I would prefer if you did not take it off at all.”

Lance silently agreed with her. He didn't really feel like showing his fishy features to anyone else besides his immediate family. Maybe Hunk, since Hunk has seen it since they were small.

“I already told Hunk what's happening and he said he would be clearing a space in one of his friend's dorm rooms for you.”

"Eh!? I thought I was going to be dorming in his room", Lance yelped as his eyebrows jumped to his hairline.

"Honey--you are starting later than most. He already has a dorm-partner", he mother spoke calmly as her son pouted.

The ocean-haired beauty pulled out a envelope filled with papers that he would need for his admission to the demigod school CaeLum. She hesitantly placed the packet in the front pocket of his bag of beauty products and patted it so he got the memo. Immediately a grin split across his face as he realized he was actually doing this. Even if he wasn't going to be living with Hunk.

He was going to be free. To make his own life decisions, be with who he wants, become friends with who he wants, go and do something that was bigger than him and anyone else. 

An adventure. 

Not wanting to take too long he leaned down to press a kiss into his little sister's hair and stood right back up to place one on his mother's cheek who copied the motion and placed one on his.

“I'll be back guys I promise, every single break. And I'll skype you and Anahi, and send pictures too. Make sure you pay attention in your classes sis and mom don't burn down the kitch--”, before he could say anything else his mother hooked him by the ear and began to drag him over to the swirling whirlpool portal that would change his life. 

Complaints of 'ow, ow, ow you're ripping off my ear' filled the air, with feminine laughter from his sister occupied the room.

“Yes, yes, I love you too. Now get going, you need to be ready for school tomorrow", his mother spoke happily, yet solemnly. She released his ear when he was finally standing at the edge of the portal, and patted his cheek. His mother gave him one last kiss on the jewel gracing his forehead before giving one great shove.

Lance felt the world topple and his suitcases and bag met him in a heap when he hit the swirling whirlpool portal. The echo of his sister's melodic voice reaching him with a “see you later bwother”, before he melted into the water. 

Little did he know that school is different for everyone. Especially, introverted teens, with awful flirting skills.


	2. Dorming with a Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance was new to all of this. He lived in the sea, he had more flings than he had friends, and his family was a sum of six. He never thought he would find himself in the midst of something so different from the norm. Here he was, back with his best friend, and being told that he would be a part of a family; one that actually cared for everyone involved. And god he was drowning in the satisfied feeling of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lance is a year younger than Shiro, Keith, Hunk, and Allura. Pidge is the same age as Lance. 
> 
> From tallest to shortest it goes Hunk, Shiro, Keith, Lance, Allura, and then Pidge. Keith is closer to Shiro's height rather than Lance's height. Lance believes he is taller than Keith.

Lance could only feel the same tipsy feeling again as the whirlpool sucked him and his belongings into an unfamiliar place. He couldn't react much as he heard the sounds of his bags hitting solid ground, and then he felt himself joining them in a large heap. A loud splashing sound followed as the whirlpool faded and disappeared.

“Mngh...”, he groaned out in pain as only one thought danced around in his mind; god, his body should not bend this way.

After dry-heaving a couple times, he pulled himself back into a sitting position away from his bags and allowed his vision time to rearrange itself so it didn't feel like he was having some form of an acid trip.

First time going through the portal, and he could officially say it was not a very good one. Portals weren't ever easy to go through, but it seems like he is going to have to adapt to the nauseating feeling if he wishes to move back and forth from Atlantis and CaeLum. 

Chuckles were among the first sounds to greet him as he finally finished focusing on his surroundings. The laughs felt like punches to his ego as he stood up quickly and proceeded to pat off the metaphorical dust in complete embarrassment.

“That was quite a fall”, muttered a soft and sweet voice. Lance looked down to meet the face of what could only be considered an angel. Her white cotton candy hair framed her face in all the right ways, and her eye color could rival that of the sun hitting the ocean surface at dawn. 

Her angelic dark skin coupled with the peachy-pink marks under her eyes just seemed to pull everything together into one perfect package.

“I think I fell right into heaven”, he drawled carefully as his signature grin smeared across his face. He leaned a little closer, only enough so that he was barely intruding on her personal bubble. His nose and mouth curled in a expression that could only be love at first sight.

She didn't seem to be wanting any of it though as her expression flipped to one completely different than sweet and innocent. More sturdy and tired; as if she had done this countless times.

Fast as lightning she had her hand on his face and was pushing him away quickly. Lance sputtered underneath her palm as he was pushed away.

“Unfortunately, this is not heaven. This is CaeLum, and I'm in charge of the new students. You were the last one to be joining us for this evening...Mr. McClain.”

Lance's face turned fifty shades of red and pink before he coughed awkwardly when the female demigod pulled her hand away. He quickly got the memo and backed away from the woman. He knows that he should stop, but god he never learned when to quit. Seems like that was going to be the one thing to kick-start his reputation for this year.

“Well”, Lance huffed before grabbing his bags, “CaeLum does mean heaven, in uh...Latin.”

He could almost feel the heavy weight of awkwardness as everyone around him got quiet before they began to laugh at his antics. Class-clown it was then.

She let a heavy sigh pass her lips before patting him on the top of his hoodie in a sign of comfort, and twirling around. 

“Okay everyone, follow me I'll be showing you to your dorms”, before stepping any further down the gold and silver plated hall filled with many people, she turned her head. Her hair following the movement like a sheet of snow.

“By the way, my name is Allura and it is a pleasure to meet all of you. Welcome to the demigod school CaeLum.”

Lance felt his heart throb as he mingled in with the overly excited crowd that was swooning over Allura; goodness whatever god had her for a child must have been beyond proud. Of course, a woman like her would not even begin to think of Lance that way. 

That, and his mother's rule was already set in stone.

Didn't mean he couldn't stop trying. Something told him he would be seeing a lot more of the other around the school.

As they finally approached the hallways, and began to exit the building into the vast forestry of the city-like school. Lance's eyes twinkled in awe. His face lit up like a child learning about the wonders of Santa for the first time in their life.

The only green and blues he had ever seen were of the seaweed and the water. Occasionally, fish, corals and other beautiful ocean life that he dealt with on a daily basis. But, this...this was of a whole other nature. 

The pines were so tall, and the sounds of birds and bugs filtered through his ears. Sun beams hit his skin with a satisfying yet draining feeling. Oh man, this was definitely heaven. 

Water was just wet, and undeniably cold. It didn't quite bring him the feeling he was getting right now.

He couldn't have been the only one admiring the vast sceneries splayed before him like a feast. It wasn't only the forest that everyone was ogling at either. In the distance you could see where the forest disappeared and the other elemental areas stood out. There was an area filled with snow and ice, one of fire and lava, another with nothing but water, and just so much more. 

It looked like the city never ended as it went on past his field of vision. Creatures and people of all species were mingling together and roaming the city to their classes. He knew that Atlantis had a building here where they taught children with water-like attributes how to wield them. Lance however, being one of the two children of the sea, was definitely of a whole other level.  
If he truly desired it so, he could shape the water into things of his imagination. He could make the sea form that of a lion's body for him to ride upon, or freeze the water to make a gun or some other kind of weapon.

But, Lance was well _Lance_. 

He wasn't great at wielding water, in fact he was probably the worst out of all the children of his mother Lumosa. His sister was the only other one who was just as bad as him out of all 5 children. They had the potential to have the ocean kneel beneath their will though, and that's why he was here. 

To learn how to be a god.

Lance had the most potential, and the best affinity to water. He was just to spoiled to try to learn to do anything with it. Nor did he want to learn how to do so, until he realized how his life was passing him by.

Allura was smiling widely at all the happy expressions that flashed through the crowd as they gazed at what would be their new home until they decided otherwise. However, she couldn't stop her eyebrows from arching and her eyes from widening at the expression on Lance McClain's face.

That was why she took the job of introducing and calming down the new students of CaeLum. She was here to offer support so students could transition into a somewhat perfect college lifestyle. And that expression made all her hard-work worth it.

She felt obliged to ask Lance what he was feeling, to get some insight into this person's life. She wanted to see what he looked like under that hood; not just see half of his nose and a heart-melting smile placed on his mouth. Allura felt the need to discover what made this person smile so much. 

She wanted to see his _eyes_.

Allura could wait though, instead she focused on the lines on either side of his face from how much the kid smiled. And that expression just seemed to plaster just right onto the cocoa skinned male, as if it was the only one he had.

“Lan--”, she tried to speak out to get his attention but the ground began to vibrate and the whole world seemed to shift under everyone's feet. Many kids dropped to the ground along with their personal items as the vibrations got harsher and harsher. Others were barely standing, and then you had a couple of adults who were standing like nothing was happening.

Adults like Lance.

Her clipboard filled with everyone's names, parents and some attributes if the kids had already had shown them scattered across the ground in a mess, when her body shook.

She looked around for any sign and finally saw what was causing such a crazy abruption. There was Hunk in the distance, the son of the earth, bending the ground to make it appear like he was riding a surf board on a wave of torn up grass and dirt. 

The large man leapt off his hand-made board only for it to sink back into the ground like nothing had ever happened. 

“Hunk—what on earth are you...”, she mumbled heatedly and the air began to get frosty. The other adults around her who had regained some sense of balance seemed to back away to avoid the biting frost that seeped from her body in small waves.

The happy earth-bender shoved through the crowd gently with loud mutterings of apologies until they got to the edge where the person she had been eyeing earlier was grinning with his arms held out wide.

“Lance! Oh my quiznack you made it! You actually really truly made it!!” Yelped the taller man who crushed the smaller in a mushy hug. 

Lance's deep sea blue hood had fallen off his chocolate brown hair to show the world what he looked like. The sun danced on top of the jewelry that laced his ears and reflected off in an almost mesmerizing way as he bathed in the elders affections. 

When his eyes opened and his teeth split into a happy grin towards the earth-bender, Allura couldn't help but smile at the infectious aura.

Hunk was plopping kisses all over Lance's face until the brown-haired male was laying lax and content in his arms.

“Well, of course I'm here”, he whispered in a voice dripping in cockiness, “I mean, how could I not be here.”

“You're mom is the most overprotective woman on the face of this earth. How can you seriously say that”, huffed the earth-bender in a hearty playful laugh. Lance shoved the other gently, which only managed to have Lance push back and Hunk standing there like a statue with his hands around the water-bender.

Allura though had witnessed the entire thing, and goodness she was beyond confused. She had been in the same school with Hunk for years, and she knew the earth-bender like the back of her hand. Along with the rest of her team. 

But, she has never seen this expression on Hunk's face. It was pure giddiness, and a love that knew no bounds. It wasn't romantic by any means, but it was something of a kinship. Allura didn't think she would feel this was towards the flirty portal boy, but she found herself yearning to know what was it about tanned male that made Hunk's face bloom.

Hunk turned to Allura with puppy dog eyes and a happy grin. 

“Hey, hey Llura', do you mind if I take a newbie off your hands”, he yelled loud enough for everyone to hear. Most of the people still recovering from his entrance and patting dirt off their clothes.

“I'm assuming the newbie is Lance McClain”, she said calmly. Her motherly nature taking the wheel as she gathered the papers from the ground. Hunk at this point had let Lance down, and the male had scampered over to help her gather the mass of dead tree.

“Uh, yeah. I probably should have just said that before instead of just--”, Allura had waved her hand to stop his ramblings and whispered a quiet 'thank you' to Lance before she stood up and moved to pat Hunk on the shoulder. The man was much to tall for her to pt his head, but she knew that it had gotten her point across. 

“Of course, make sure you show him to his dorm first and then have him pick a team. His classes and such will come tomorrow.”

Hunk walked over to help Lance out, and nodded his head to Allura in a small thank you. 

“I'll introduce him to everyone later too, for now I'm gonna go and take him to meet his dorm room partner.”

Hunk had his arm looped in Lance's and practically dragged the laughing male over to his suitcases. Lance waved a goodbye not only to Allura, but to a couple of girls who were laughing at him to the side. His face curled up into a expression of breathy promises and desire before Hunk pulled him back into the real world. And quite literally too.

The earth around Hunk, Lance, and his bags popped up and they once again began to surf the earth towards were Lance's new home would be. Lance clinging to the taller for dear life as they sped off, and the sound of Hunk laughing.

When they stopped, Lance finally began the onslaught of questions.

“You...you don't get sick anymore? And why the hell am I not in your dorm room. I thought we were buddies. Also, how do you know Allura. Are you guys like together, and I mean together together because last time you talked to me about anything girl or boy related it was with this dude named Pidge and--.”

Hunk had clapped a hand over Lance's mouth so fast, that he swore his arm turned into a blur. The smaller ocean-eyed boy gasped under the hand.

“If wu tink fwor one moment I whon't whick you're hand”, Lance spoke in butchered English in a poor attempt to threaten the rock-bender. Hunk, knowing his friend wouldn't hesitate in doing so, moved his hand back to it's rightful place to his side to avoid getting french kissed.

Hunk moved his other hand up to his forehead to move his blackish-brown hair to the side when it fell in front of his face and began to answer all of Lance's questions in what he could believe was the correct order. They were certainly going to need more time to ask questions, and relearn each other.

But, in the meantime this was a start. A start that Hunk was grateful to have with his best friend.

“Well, I still get sick. All the time, you have no idea!! I can't go too fast on my rock board and I still have trouble turning. It hurts so much when I fall off, but I'm getting the hang of it and I can even make my body turn into rock. Everyone else on my team is really strong. But, I have gotten good enough to support them.”

Lance felt his heart clench when he heard Hunk's speech. God, he was so glad that Hunk had changed into someone so confident and proud instead of the chubby boy Lance would protect when they were younger.  
He was so satisfied.

Hunk looked up in a reminiscent way before continuing with his answers. Lance had gone silent to listen intently, his eyes looking to Hunk's cheek. Completely prepared to look into the warm chocolate brown he had come to love if the other would look at him.

“Uh, and I'm actually dorming with Pidge...they are uh. I, we're friends. Yeah! We are really good friends.”

“Oh my god, you are so smitten”, Lance purred as he knelt down to meet Hunk's side glance. Lance moved his finger's to cover his cat-like smirk and that was when Hunk flipped his head to the other side to hide the flood of red that spread across his face.

“I guess that works with me. I bet my roommate is going to be so hot. You're gonna be so jealous”, Lance teased as he began to walk towards the entrance of the building. Hunk followed closely, an all-knowing smile on his face as he laughed awkwardly.

“Well, I guess that gets rid of my 'are you with Allura' question. But, how do you know her”, Lance asked when he was sure Hunk was close to recovering from his face explosion, and he was also following.

“S-She's the coach to our team. Each team is made up of a teacher, coach, a leader, technician, defender, and a left and right arm. Each team has seven members. It's pretty cool actually. Kind of like a big ol' family; we even stay in the same building with each other”, Hunk said as he took the lead away from Lance and made his way towards what would soon be the den of his best friend. “We call this dorm 'The Castle'.

Lance allowed himself to sigh before putting his arms behind his head and looking up, and that's when he froze. His body coming to a stop as he looked up to Hunk with hopeful yet fearful eyes.

Hunk heard the sudden stop of the other pair of feet, and decided to stop and look around. The baggage joining him in his halt as he finally met Lance's mesmerizing eyes.

God, that was what first drew Hunk towards Lance in the first place. Only Hunk knew what Lance really looked like. Not this human version, but he found himself loving both versions of his friend. It wasn't all about Lance's looks though. 

Lance had this charisma that made people laugh when things weren't funny, and see the better things that life had to offer them. Not to mention, Lance would protect the people he loved, even if he didn't have the strength. Hunk was a prime example of that.

“You mean—I'm a part of the team...”, Lance whispered as his arms dropped down to his sides and a shocked look danced in his eyes under a strained smile. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. He wasn't sure if he was understanding what Hunk was implying correctly, or perhaps he was just being a little too hopeful.

“Yeah. Welcome to the family Lance”, Hunk grinned and began to walk forward only to stand right in front of a dorm room a little bit further from where they originally were.

Lance followed happily and rubbed his eyes with the back of each wrist before his face cracked into a smile and he moved to stand behind Hunk in a fluid movement. 

“You know, I can't even make a perfect sphere yet. Honestly, I am so hopeless. So if you can ride a rock, straight or not, that is so wicked”, Lance joked while Hunk sputtered out a laugh. 

“Don't worry, I'm sure we can help you learn that by the end of the week”, Hunk said as he knocked on the door. 

A mess of black hair opened the wooden door, and Hunk came face to face with a shirtless male holding the edge of the door. Lance peeked over and he froze where he stood.

“Hey Keith. This is your new roommate! His name is Lance.”

Molten magma and purple turned away from Hunk to look down and meet Oceanic blue. Suddenly, the door opened wider and a lean and muscular body was leaning on the frame and looking straight at Lance. Blazing eyes trailed up and down his body in a judging way and Lance felt his blood go cold.

They were the same height almost, Lance perhaps being an inch or two taller as his eyes once again met the burning fire in a heated stare. 

Besides the eyes, and the stupid messy mullet the other had; his eyes went straight towards the glowing cubes and circles that littered the others left side. It would pulsate like a human heartbeat. Each thump must have made it glow brighter since it sped up slightly before slowing down and returning to normal. 

It traveled all the way from his lower left rib cage to under his eye. It wasn't the largest tattoo he had seen, but it was just as big as the tattoo he got of an octopus that was residing over his right hip and thigh.

The tattoos looked almost tribal, as they burned like a fire on the strangers skin. One part of the tattoo was under the others eye in three perfectly glowing symmetrical circles. It seems like this 'Keith' didn't really enjoy Lance's staring as he made a break for it.

Noticing that Lance was staring holes into his head; Keith pulled his hair up in a messy sagging bun and stepped back into the room to pull on a tight black standard long-sleeve top from one of his droors.

“Hunk, really. Why did you bring a water attribute into the home of a fire attribute. You must be asking for us to eat each other alive. Not to mention he's staring at me like an idiot”, Keith huffed as he leaned down to tie his shoes quickly and then stood right back up to run a hand through his hair.

Keith looked at Lance tiredly and pointed to the right side of the room, “that's your side of the room, don't touch my stuff okay.”

Lance's eyes were as wide as dinner plates as the obnoxiously cute guy strided out of the apartment and shut the door with a harsh click.

“I cannot believe you are making me dorm with a demon!!” Lance squeaked as he moved to take his beautifully studded bag and suitcases from Hunk. He threw them on the bed in an unceremonious heap. 

“I promise he's a good guy once you get to know him, he's just not quick to trust Lance”, Hunk reasoned.

Lance pulled his hoodie over his head and threw it across the room. A black tank was left behind in it's wake before he plopped down onto the bed. He turned to the side with a pout to look at Hunk.

“His mullet is stupid, and so is his face”, Lance said in a petty attempt to regain some of his honor before he layed down. 

“Hey Lance, I still have class today with my team, and I know you want me to help you unpack but--”, Hunk poked his fingers together but before he could say anymore Lance stopped him.

“Go to your family Hunk, I can meet them tomorrow. I'll be more prepared and less tired. Not to mention I'll be packed and in some clean clothes”, Lance said evenly.

Hunk walked over and rubbed his large calloused hand over Lance's back in a comforting motion which had the water-bender humming in thanks before Hunk moved away and towards the door. 

Before he left though, he looked back and Lance couldn't help but meet his eyes and he give the elder a frigid yet reassuring smile. 

Hunk smiled back, even though he knew Lance had something he was hesitating to say, and god how the earth bender wanted to pry it out of him. He knew Lance though, and the brown haired male would only say it when he wanted to.

Instead he settled for something that he knew would make Lance truly, _truly_ , smile. 

“They are going to be your family too Lance. Just you wait and see.”, and with that small comment he was gone.

And god how that made the water churn in Lance's heart. A content sigh escaping his lips as he began to plot on how he would deal with his roommate and the rest of his teammates tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there wasn't much Klance, but I swear next chapter is going to be full of it. <3
> 
> Thank you all for the Kudos and comments on my first chapter. It makes me want to surprise you all and write so much more. You will all be soaking in Klance soon. Or maybe it'll be ShKlance. Who knows; my boy needs love though and I have so much planned.
> 
> Lance is starting to show some insecurities though, and plots are gonna begin to unfold.


	3. This Will Be My Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rivalry of fire and water descends on CaeLum.
> 
> Lance unwinds in his new room, and Keith is not having any of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta this chapter was Sailor-Shitlord, so I would like to thank them.
> 
> Also, THANK YOU EVERYONE! <3
> 
> It's been like two days since this came out and I already have over 100 kudos. That's so sweet!! So here is the next chapter early.

Lance slept for a good two hours before he was groggily sitting up and looking at his surroundings. His suitcases were sprawled out next to him as he criss-crossed his legs. 

He didn't even remember falling asleep, just that he was thinking on what he would say and do when he met the other members of his new team. Which led him to realizing he knew nothing about them, only their designated team titles. 

He didn't even know who was assigned to what team title.

Lance could only presume Hunk was the defender with his geokinesis abilities. But, then again that was only an assumption. He wasn't even sure if that assumption was correct too.

This kind of thinking probably didn't suit him considering he had fallen asleep mid-thought and had woken up with drool slipping from his mouth like a mini waterfall only to form a tiny puddle on his new mattress.

So with the shake of his head and his hands moving up to rub his face awake, he changed his thought process to something different. He thought of how the next few days were going to go. Or how he would like them to go.

The brown haired male fell backwards on the plush standard comforter. The suitcases and bags jumped a little as he let the air exit his lungs in a rush. 

Lance sat there for who knows how long just letting his brain mull over the fact that he wasn't home anymore. He was probably on a different plane of existence for all he knew, and everything around him was so quiet when he was used to everything being so loud.

And for some reason , it was that thought—no that fear that propelled Lance out of bed and right over to the suitcase beside him. 

His fingers easily drew the zipper along the bag to open it up and the insides poured out in a array of whites, blacks, and many shades of blue.

Some weren't even clothes but objects that Lance treasured and brought with him. Everything though, had at least one shade of blue in it, and if it lacked that specific color, he didn't bring it with him on this journey. 

He never really branched out with his colors, and well blue was _his_ color.

It always would be.

Lance grinned and went about his nesting process. He practically danced over to his own personal closet with his hands brimming with clothes and went about hanging up all of his personal items. Every pair of pants, shorts, shirts, and tank-tops were filling the closet like an overstuffed teddy bear.

They weren't exactly in order by breed of clothing as he put them in one by one, and anyone else who entered that closet would probably get lost in another dimension, but they were in a place where Lance could find them. 

Next on Lance's list of things to unpack was his socks. They were the only pieces of clothing that weren't in the closet as they went into the lower droor out of three by his bedside. 

This room wasn't anything homey like he was used to, but Lance would try his best to make it appealing. He even brought along his lamp that was made from a branch of very old coral that glittered like it was still in the ocean, and he put that on the bedside as soon as possible.

Unlike, his already half decorated side; Keith's side was barren like a dessert. He had a plaid bed set, and then some weapons that were plastered to the wall for easy access if he needed them. That was honestly it. 

No pictures of his family, or clothes sprawled everywhere. It was like living with a ghost; well, a murderous one.

When Lance went into the bathroom to explore the rest of the room, he only found shampoo, conditioner, and a razor. There was nothing else besides those three personal items that gave Lance the feeling that another demigod actually lived in this room with him.

That was when he finally decided it was time to make some changes. His body slowly glided over to his other suitcase where he began to pull out all sorts of foreign objects and ornaments that would have looked impossible to pack in such a medium-sized bag.

He started with his own bed where he put his over-sized bed sheets and blankets on it. Plush sea animals joined the mix to give that corner a feeling of life unlike the other three. 

Lance continued to mother the room to the point where he actually felt sweat gathering on his brow. Portraits, paintings, statues, and other personal items of his laced his side of the room like an explosion of blue. 

He even pulled a decorative fish bowl out of his second suitcase and a small baggy of water with a very, _very_ , tiny shark residing in it. The little creature was the size of a dime, and immediately Lance felt warm and better when the little creature locked eyes with him and began to speed around in circles within the bag. 

This was the familiar his father had given him on his tenth birthday, and goodness how he loved the little ankle-biter. Lumine was what he had named the creature, and they had a genuine bond unlike any other.

Lumine was not only a part of his immediate family, but the little creature had a part of Lance's soul in her. That was the only way he could describe how much he loved her.

He placed the bowl that contained the bagged shark down carefully on his dresser and went to the bathroom. His hands fidgeted before he turned the faucet on and watched liquid fall into the drain. The sound and rhythm of the splashing water brought on a welcome feeling as he raised his hands.

His fingers tensed harshly and that's when he felt it.

Electricity laced every nerve in his body with ecstasy as he felt his magic surge up once again. God, it had only been a couple of hours and he was already feeling like a bottle that was overflowing with magic.

Water lifted from the air in three large unsteady blobs and Lance walked the substance over to his fish bowl in a practiced manner. Carefully, he let it slide downwards and into the bowl in a slant before he breathed a sigh of relief. He cut off his connection with the magic and looked at the ground.

A smile tore across his face as he let out a happy noise at his small accomplishment. No water drops on the hardwood floor. _Success_.

The water swished a bit before it went steady and serene within the bowl. The little baggy with the shark floated above the marbles, water, seaweed, and the little Colosseum in the bowl.

Lance grabbed the bag slowly as to not jostle Lumine and lifted it. His fingers went to work undoing the elastic band to open the bag and free the shark. 

The water bender repeated the process of manipulating the water out of the bag this time, and the shark inside the giant floating bubble began to swim around excitedly at the slightly larger space before Lance allowed the water to slide into the bowl and out of his control.

He had to practice somehow today, and for now it seemed like that was all he was getting before classes tomorrow.

The brown haired male didn't let that thought distract him much as he dashed over to turn off the faucet. But, before he could move onto the next thing on his list which was one of his favorite things he had packed; he looked into the mirror.

His hair was disheveled, his eyes were wild and tired, and his skin was slightly paler than usual. The demigod's hair wasn't as shiny as it was supposed to be and his cheeks didn't have that healthy tint. 

“Ugh—really”, the demigod groaned and tried to slick his hair back only for it to bounce forward in an even messier way, “you must be joking. _Already_? I've only been above water for like 8 hours or something!”

After he was done unpacking, he was definitely going to go take a shower to re-hydrate himself. 

His body was drained from being in a dry environment when he was naturally accustomed to living in a city of water underneath the ocean where his body could get the nutrients and such that it needed.

Lance pulled away from the mirror mournfully and moved to the other room to open up his bag of beauty products and hydraters. He lifted the open bag and dragged it over to what would now be his favorite room on this entire campus. Or well, one of them at least.

He decided that since Keith hadn't staked any claim here, besides the three little objects on the edge of the counter, he would take the wheel and decorate the open territory. 

His hands began to rip things out of his bag that normal people wouldn't even recognize and organize them on the counter to the far right. When that was full he moved over to the cubbies that took up the small wall that was beside the shower. 

Face products, hair products, skin products, and any other product that no one else here possibly knew of was placed in a very appealing spot. Well, in a spot that was appealing to Lance. 

And when it was all out of the bag, Lance decided it was finally time to make himself a part of the nesting process. 

He peeled off his clothing in the bathroom and kicked the door shut in a slow process. God, he wanted a shower—no, he needed a shower.

–

Keith had worked harder today than any other day this month. Sweat was trailing down his body like the red lines on a paper map, and the towel around his neck was doing little to help. 

Of course, Hunk catching up to him in the hallway earlier after they left the new team member alone was semi-comforting.

The gentle giant had calmed his shot nerves with warm words and had told the fire-bender that this would be good for him, and for this 'Lance' too. 

Keith found himself wanting to believe that, despite every instinct in him telling him no, but with the way the water-bender had looked at him, and the fact that they were polar-opposites, it had him feeling less attracted to the thought by the minute.

Lance looked like someone who was a gifted with everything in life. Someone who played with people's hearts and then threw them to the side. Or someone that was certainly not going to be devoted part of a team like everyone in his team was. 

Lance was probably someone who laughed away in a tower of riches while everyone around him suffered from something in life. And Keith _hated_ it.

Keith let out a slightly agitated mumble as he strutted down the hallway. It was time to face the beast and then hopefully get a normal night's rest.

As Keith neared the door his brain began to sprout with possibilities. Maybe, Lance wasn't as bad as he was making him out to be. Lance hadn't even done anything other than stare at Keith weirdly.

The fire-bender knew he was temperamental, and not the easiest to work with, but he valued his personal space and to have anyone intrude on it was aggravating.

He had grown up an orphan with abilities that no one else had, and at a very young age he was drafted into CaeLum against his will. 

He didn't regret that though, he had met Shiro and the rest of his team, which was the closest thing to family members as he was going to get. But, for 19 out of the 22 years of their lives, they had never introduced a right arm onto their team. 

They had a left arm, and he thought a left arm was enough.

So Lance being here made him angry, livid even. But, if Hunk and Shiro both said to give him a chance, along with most of the others on their team, he would try. Allura had even put in a good word for the ocean-eyed boy which was a surprise for all of them. 

Allura didn't particularly like change either.

Keith hadn't realized it until he began to get cold, but he had been standing in front of the door for awhile. Tiredly, he rubbed a hand through his slightly damp hair and then opened the door with a deep breath. 

His felt his mouth practically drop to the floor at the new additions to the room. The other had apparently listened since Keith's side of the room was left untouched, but Lance's side of the room looked like a ocean-themed pinata had thrown up all over it.

Keith felt his eye twitch in annoyance. There was _so_ much.

His reddish-violet eyes scanned the room for a tuft of brown hair only to find no living thing except a little shark in a small fish bowl.

“Lance, where are you?!” Keith yelled as he began to scour the room for the ocean dweller.

“Oh calm down will ya Keith. I was just taking a shower to protect all this gorgeousness from your upper surface's death star”, Lance spoke from behind the wooden door of the bathroom.

When the door opened and steam poured from the room, Keith let out a feminine yelp.

Lance was shirtless, with nothing but a small blue towel sagging on his hips low. His front tattoos open to the world in intricate designs of sea creatures, and words in an unknown language. Atlantean he supposed. 

But the part that had him screeching like a banshee was whatever the hell was on Lance's face.

Lance screamed back in a slow reaction and had to reach down to grab his towel before it could slip from his waist at his sudden jump backwards.

Keith recovered quickly and looked right into Lance's eyes, “you-you can't just come in here and throw your stuff everywhere!”

Lance met his eyes just as heatedly a he backed into the bathroom a little bit. Their heated glare being a clash of water and fire. He could practically feel the inhuman heat radiating off the others body in waves as the look just got more severe.

“I can! I got half of the room just like you”, Lance argued.

“Yeah, you got half of _my_ room”, Keith said taking a small step forward.

Lance finally stopped backing up and froze. Like flipping a switch, he walked forward and was chest to chest with Keith while he clutched his towel. Keith wasn't expecting that seeing as how he froze up and his eyes went wide.

Lance could feel Keith's fiery skin underneath the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing, and he would have felt satisfied and maybe even slightly turned on if it wasn't for the anger that he felt bubbling up.

“What is your problem!? You have been yelling at me since I first got here, and you have no reason to!” Lance yelled rigidly.

Keith stayed silent as he continued to stare holes into Lance. 

“No reason”, he laughed, “I just don't see how you're going to help the team. We were fine before you came here”, Keith whispered loud enough for them both to hear.

Something flashed across Lance's face, much too quick for Keith to make out before the water-bender leaned back with a playful laugh and a bright smile. Keith would have felt regretful if it wasn't for his pride.

“Okay hothead, then why don't we make a deal? If I beat you in an exercise of your choice, you will stop nagging me but, if you win you can pick out what I get rid of and what I keep on my side of the room”, Lance challenged as he glared at Keith confidently.

Keith pushed back his small concerns and allowed his competitive nature to take full reign of the situation. 

“Fine. Deal.” Keith accepted as he walked around Lance and into the bathroom. The door slamming with a booming echo and leaving nothing but a fading heat in the fire-bender's wake.

“Fine!” Lance yelled loudly as he breathed in a quick breath and exhaled slowly.

The water-bender swallowed carefully, and walked over to his bed where he moved the over sized blankets away and climbed under them to lay amongst some of his most loved items.

He turned on his side so he wouldn't have to look at anything that was Keith's as he went over his thoughts.

The fire-bender was rude and hotheaded, but Lance could actually see where he was coming from. Keith didn't want a new member to the team, he was content with how it had been. But, that didn't stop his words from hurting.

That's when Lance finally came up with a conclusion.

He was going to show Keith, prove to Keith, that he was every bit worth it. He would be the final puzzle piece of the team, and he would do it by beating Keith in everything he could come up with. At least until the other began to notice that maybe Lance wasn't as bad as he appeared.

Keith was going to be his rival, and Lance wasn't going to have it any other way.

\--

Keith only came out of the shower an hour and a half later when he was positive that Lance was sleeping. He couldn't stay in there any longer anyways when he had realized that the other demigod had also destroyed their bathroom.

Everything was just so water-themed and he was anything but.  
So to avoid the suffocating feeling, he quietly inched the door open and stepped out onto the hardwood floor in his pajamas.

And when he looked over to check if Lance was awake; he immediately felt the wave of regret hit him like a wrecking ball.

There was his new roommate sprawled on the bed happily in a mess of blankets. One of his bare legs was dangling off the side of the bed, and his naked tattooed chest and right arm were exposed to the world. 

Lance was probably not even wearing a pair of boxers, seeing as how Keith had stepped on the towel on the way over to Lance's side of the room and Lance left his other clothes on the ground in the bathroom. 

As Keith got closer and closer he could hear the others cat-like snoring and the see the gentle rise and fall of the tattooed chest.

The aftermath of pain that the water-bender must have gone through when he got portions and wholes of those tattoos done must have been excruciating. Keith felt slight respect at that fact surprisingly.

“Stupid...mullet”, Lance groaned before rolling onto his side to face Keith.

Keith froze up in fear of the other waking and questioning him, but nothing like that came. So, he took his opportunity to quickly reach out and grab the blankets that weren't covering the younger's chest, and he pulled them over the exposed part of Lance.

First, his chest and arm; now his leg. Keith carefully maneuvered around the blankets in order to get to the bare foot and thigh. He grabbed the tanned limb carefully and pulled it back onto the bed and under the safety of the covers.

Keith had to pause to take a look at his hands. The brown-haired male's body temperature was so cold it was almost worrisome. Well, it would be if Keith didn't know that the kid basically had the ocean flowing through his veins. 

After he was done thinking about Lance's cold skin he moved his glowing eyes to see the soft and small smile that graced Lance's lips as the other drooled. And honestly, it was worth it.

He may have not known Lance well, but no person who had bad intentions would sleep so heavily in an unknown place. 

Keith was surprised that such a small thought and smile like that could make him happy but it did despite their argument earlier. His actions weren't an apology, in fact they were far from being one.

But, it was the best Keith could offer currently, and it was the best Lance would have for now.

Before the fire-bender wandered over to his own bed to sleep for the night; he moved over to the coral lamp on Lance's personal bedside dresser and clicked it off.

When darkness flooded the room, the only light that remained was the eerie glow of Keith's tattoos, which weren't very bright, but they gave Keith enough light to semi-navigate over to his bed and climb under the thin plaid covers.

Tomorrow would be better, he would be better to Lance.

–

At least, he wished it would be.

Lance was still out like a light and his snoring had gotten bad. It was sounded like a dolphin being strangled at this point—nothing like a cat at all.

It was already 6:00 am and they were needed for morning practices by 6:30 am. Lance had to wake up and not just for Keith's sanity, but so the other could at least make a good appearance for the others.

Keith, unlike his sleeping roommate, was a morning person. He woke up with the sun, and he would continue to do so for the rest of his life. From the look of the other, it appeared that once again they had another outstanding difference.

Keith contemplated just tapping the other and telling him practice was in thirty minutes, but instead he settled with grabbing one of the stuffed narwhals that had fallen off the bed and throwing it as hard as he could at Lance.

A muffled groan escaped Lance before he sat up in bed, “you know—you are so rude”, he mumbled out before a yawn tore through his mouth, and he circled his arms around the narwhal in a loving fashion.

Keith admired the way the sunlight danced on Lance's skin and the way the his eyes lit up slowly as if shaking off winter and welcoming spring, before he looked away to hide his faint blush. He coughed awkwardly before turning to motion at the drool trail on Lance's chin.

“Yeah well, we have class in thirty minutes and you're trying to recreate the ocean in our room.”

Lance's eyes widened in shock and his body went rigid before he pulled the blankets away from his body to check if he was decent; which he was not. But, the main reason why a fire had lit up his cocoa skin was not that he was naked, but the fact that Keith had said this was their room.

Which was weird, they were rivals now. Keith had no right being kind of friendly with the enemy. It was like crossing a line that shouldn't be crossed; even if it was playful teasing.

“I'll be in the bathroom. And Lance”, Keith looked around his shoulder, “it's not like I haven't seen a dick before”, Keith mumbled before strutting into the bathroom and shutting the door closed with a click.

“It's different! This is _my_ dick Keith!!” Lance stood up and ran over to the closet in a hot mess. What was happening, was this normal? They were relatively getting along. 

Lance pulled on some tight boxers, a skin tight white tank-top, and a pair of black skinny jeans that were form-fitting when he finished throwing his clothes every which way.

“Okay I'm decent now—so you can come out of your hiding spot or whatever”, Lance struggled to get out as he waited for the fire-bender to exit the bathroom.

Keith came out, and looked the ocean dweller up and down to check if his statement was actually true or not. Seeing that it was, he looked Lance in the eyes and cocked one eyebrow.

“Since I have seen you partially naked, I think you should know my full name and I should know yours”, the other spoke out as he pulled two blades off the wall and attached them to his back. “Keith Haneul Kogane. That's my full name.”

Lance took a moment before answering as he watched Keith reach for a wrapped up dagger on the wall. The covered up blade was put in a small sheath on Keith's tailbone.

“McClain. Lance Juniper McClain.”

Keith froze for a moment and moved his hands away from the dagger to look at Lance with wide eyes and a stunned expression.

“ _You're_ a McClain. Your-your mother is the God of the Seas: Lumosa. Oh my god.”

Lance huffed and grabbed his belt with two side-pouches and buckled them around his waist. He proceeded to open the front door and stand to the side waiting for Keith to lead the way.

“Yeah—but that doesn't mean that I'm anything like her, so don't expect me to go and start creating islands”, Lance hummed as he broke eye contact with Keith.

“I, but, everyone knows about her and you didn't think it would be important to let me know that I'm dealing with a demigod that's more god than huma--”, Keith ranted as he marched through the door and down the hall. Lance was at his heels and he would have kept going if the other didn't interrupt him.

“I'm not! I-I am not more god than human. At least I don't know if I am. My mother doesn't like telling me anything about my lineage”, Lance said as he trudged past Keith and then stopped to look back at the other.

“Can you just, not bring it up and can we go get breakfast, meet everyone, and then go to class? I am starving”, Lance pleaded with his eyes to Keith as he stuck his bottom lip out in a pout.

Keith stared at Lance for what felt like hours before he nodded his head and continued on his way towards the dining room. His head was running a mile a minute in complete shock that he had a prince standing before him.

Well, it seemed like some of his theories weren't all wrong. 

Keith sighed and pushed open the door. A small smile laced his face as all the other heads in the room turned towards him and Lance and words of 'good morning' and 'hellos' filled the room.

Before he could get out his own sentence of greeting Lance opened his mouth.

“Hunk! Why didn't you tell me that Takashi Shirogane was going to be here!?” he said in a exasperated tone.

Oh, god today was going to be awful, he thought as he trudged over to the table and plopped down with a exhausted sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be going on a trip to see the Golden Gate Bridge, but I'll be writing the whole way there and back so I might not update for awhile. Five to six days at most, but be ready for the splurge of chapters.


	4. Family Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicknames aren't always friendly.
> 
> Unless used correctly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gaw I love Keef <3!!!
> 
> Lance is my sharpshooter bby boy. The tailor to my needle <3 :')!
> 
> Follow me @trashyyama on tumblr if you want to get drabbles or headcanons and stuff. We also have a voltron drabble group so that's pretty lit :o!

Lance's body language towards Hunk was so open and inviting as he sat next to the taller. It was completely different from earlier in their room together where the other felt more closed off and distant.

Lance's pearly whites were on full display as he looked at Hunk in such a loving gaze. Keith swore he would have been jealous if him and Lance didn't hate each other so much.

Keith was still laying there on the table with his eyesight on Lance. Shiro's nonmetal hand hand immediately found it's way to his back when he sat down and it was rubbing his lower back in a gentle soothing motion.

Their leader always knew when one of them was stressed or anxious, and he was quick to try and blanket that feeling in anyway he knew how. Keith was thankful for the gesture.

Anything that Shiro was willing to give, he was blessed to have. So, he turned his head over to the taller male and offered him a small smile on his pale lips. Shiro returned it kindly with a small one of his own before Keith went right back to judging Lance.

He soaked in the warm feeling of Shiro's hand as he watched Lance's short hair bob with every excited motion. His blazing eyes danced on every part of Lance like he was trying to burn holes right through the other.

He felt the desire to try and label every single difference between Shiro and Lance that he could find. Lance was well, lanky and even if he was tall and put on a big show; the other was truly...metaphorically small.

He didn't want to start liking Lance when the other didn't even like him. 

As his mind approached the third difference in an attempt to block out Lance's fluid and silky voice, the ocean child was suddenly trying to talk to Shiro. 

“I'm not sure if Hunk has told you all about me, but”, Lance put his hand on his chest and puffed it out proudly, “I'm his best bud!”

Hunk was grinning as Lance continued to advertise himself to Shiro and the rest of the team. 

Shiro rested his head on his metal hand and looked around the room till everyone put their distractions away and was intently paying attention. Shiro had even removed his flesh and blood hand from Keith's back to rest it on the glass table.

Much to Keith's disapproval as he grunted and glared at Lance.

Pidge had even set down the technical object they were constructing to look at Lance.

Keith was probably the only one in the warm cozy room that was trying very hard to not pay attention to what was about to unfold. 

“Tell us about yourself water-bender”, the black and white haired male gestured with one hand openly, “any friend of Hunk's is a friend of ours”, Shiro spoke calmly.

He looked at Lance as if the other was family, and nothing new was happening today. 

Allura moved forward to try and get a better view of Lance's eyes, which forced Keith to sit up seeing as how his elbow was in the way of her inspection.

Keith's body was smashed into Shiro's warm bicep where he found himself actually getting slightly comfy.

Lance's face flared up as he moved his hand to his mouth to cough into it. His heart was beating wildly at the warm welcome that the leader gave him. Lance was used to introducing himself to others, but for some reason this time it felt slightly harder, even with Shiro's pleasant words.

Maybe it was because they all knew each other very well, and Lance was like the Thanksgiving turkey that was placed in the middle of a table on display.

At this point, Keith was also intently paying attention to watch each of Lance's reactions to everyone's attention being focused on him. Lance was most likely flustered over Shiro's gaze and sight on him more than the others though.

Which made something in Keith's heart churn in wicked jealousy. Anyone with eyes could see that him and Shiro were an item. Yet, he found himself sitting there silently and serenely. He couldn't find it in himself to start building up a true and deep hatred for Lance.

Shiro was a known demigod. He was a titan-killer, and in the past he had decimated so much darkness that he had earned the title 'Champion'. However, everyone in this room besides Lance knew that Shiro despised every sliver of his past that he could remember.

Shiro was captured by a race of Galra-Daemon, and he was experimented on ruthlessly and then forced to fight in a pit of filth for his life. Day in and day out he would lose friends and family to the gruesome games of the galra.

Pidge's brother and father were just two examples of the many that were lost in this war.

Galras were toxic and poisonous in their views on where demigods should be in the food chain.

Galra-Daemons meddled in dark magic and because of that they had turned into creatures of blackness. Their fur was a bewitching mauve and their eyes a yellow bleeding sunset. They were beasts that had broken hearts.

Altean-Daemons were the complete opposite of them. They believed in the light, and that there is good in the vast expanse of the universe. They saw strength in the smallest and weakest link in a species.

The Alteans lived to protect, and to defend that which could not shelter itself.

These two were the origins of demigods. Some demigods however weren't related to either of these, and were simply made up of other magical bloods as they had branched off over time to suit the many magics of the world.

Allura was of pure blooded Altean-Daemon blood. You could tell by the markings under her eyes, the sharp milk chocolate ears, and the cottony flowing fleece hair that graced her head. She was a royal through and through.

Coran, their teacher, was also a pure blooded Altean-Daemon, but he did not carry the royal blood like Allura did.

Shiro, unfortunately, had Galra-Daemon blood running through his system thanks to his capture, and he was forced to go through mandatory check-ups here at school because of his Galra arm. 

But, Shiro was strong and he didn't let that affect his performance or leadership in anyway.

Neither did the rest of them. Even Allura who's blood was the polar opposite of Shiros. They would all follow their leader to the grave if the man so much as asked. 

But would Lance do the same is the real question here.

Keith was thrown out of his thoughts as Lance began to talk about himself, and from the expression on his roommate's face, he could tell Lance enjoyed doing that. “ I'm known as Lance...Mc--”, he froze and his mouth opened like a fish stuck on land before it closed shut.

His brain went to mush, and it felt like the very water he could shape and morph. Lance didn't want them to know of his background. Keith, Allura, and Hunk were enough for one day's time.

“McFrayn”, he said with a awkward laugh. 

“I'm a water-attribute from the southern islands off the pacific”, he lied easily, “I had kind of a pampered childhood, so I never bothered to learn too much about my abilities. But, if you let me show you, I'm positive you'll be impressed. I'm often called the Tidecaller.”

Keith scoffed at Lance's preening and looked over to Hunk.

Hunk's eyes were wide before they went back to a neutral yet happy expression.

Allura had a similar face, and now Pidge's was very calculating. Their technician had the exact same look as when they were analyzing some new tech they brought in from time to time on their missions.

Keith's face was suddenly tight-knit and his eyebrows furrowed to stop the angry expression from tearing across his face like a volcano exploding.

The only face in the room that hadn't given way to anything specific was Shiro's. No, his eyes were sad and understanding. Everyone had something they wanted to hide, Lance was no different from anyone is the world, much less this room.

Only Lance had just lied about who he was, and he had done it quite blatantly. 

The only ones in this room to know that completely were Allura, Hunk, and Keith though. And if Lance didn't want to tell them the truth of who he is, it wasn't their place to correct him until it became a problem. 

The worst part of this moment was Keith knew why Lance was lying and he couldn't even find it in himself to be truly frustrated. Lance had been open enough to share a secret with him. Even if it was on accident.

Keith would honor that trust even if it made his heart burn.

Lance didn't want them to know he was a prince. That's fine. But, lying was a blow to creating a trusting relationship, and they all knew it.

“I was visiting Hunk's island with my mother when I was little and that's when I met him”, Lance changed the subject to kill the silence. By the open expression on Lance's face and the sudden head lift from Hunk, they knew. 

This was a truth.

“He was all over the dinner table. It was like he was trying to become the thing”, Lance exclaimed with a little laugh and Hunk cut in.

“Hey—listen. If you ever have a Hawaiian styled cake-bun, you would be all over that table too”, he spoke seriously. As if this was a law that was known to all and Lance was breaking it.

Pidge let out a little giggle before covering their mouth with a hand. Lance was smiling as if that was a success in itself.

“Anyways, I decided me and Hunk should go out to the jungle where I could show him my a~mazing water-bending while the festival was happening”, Lance said with a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

However, Hunk's face was turning a light shade of green. “Did I mention that Lance is the prince of bad ideas—no actually he's like the king.”

By the look of how this story was going, it probably was a very bad idea.

“I'm going to take that as a compliment Hunk”, Lance playfully pointed at the other before looking back to everyone and continuing. 

“Anyways! We were playing and then Hunk slipped and fell on this rock. Only it wasn't a rock”, Hunk looked at the table, suddenly very serious while Lance spoke, before he decided to cut in.

“It was a rock-golem”, Hunk finished.

Hunk looked back up and covered his original solemnity with a grin; his playful doe eyes turned to gaze at Lance. “Hey, so maybe I wasn't the kid with the most balance! That didn't stop you from screaming like a little girl.”

“I did not”, Lance flared up red and tried to cover himself quick. “I just was so shocked that the air left my chest and made a weird noise!”

“Yeah, screaming like a little girl bud”, Hunk laugh and Pidge joined in too. Even a few chuckles escaped the others.

Keith however, was the one who let out the most prominent laugh. As if the fact that Lance had done something slightly embarrassing was the best thing that had happened to him all week.

“Lance took a hit for me”, and that's when the room got silent. Even Lance was looking at Hunk and swallowing thickly. The laugh had been stabbed dead.

“The golem moved too quick for me to pull up a wall of earth, and I was a kid so I wasn't very adept with my abilities yet”, Hunk motioned in nervousness, his mouth curling around the syllables as he tried to explain. 

“That's when Lance materialized in front of the fist and we both got sent flying”, he spoke in a slow whisper.

Lance, in an attempt to brighten the mood of his friend, said “yeah but you totally cushioned me when we skidded across the dirt. I would have been a splatted bug if it weren't for you dude.”

“That didn't stop the amount of blood you coughed out when we were on the ground. Besides you have the ability to turn into water. You could have easily gotten out of that situation”, hunk pointed a finger at Lance in a accusatory way as he squinted at his best friend.

“So, I didn't see the point in doing so”, he reasoned before a large hand found its way into his hair and ruffled it up.

“I may have had my organs pummeled to a pulp, but you were the one throwing up”, Lance teased the elder with a tongue sticking out to show off the sparkling pearl piercing.

Hunk put a hand on his chest, “what—I did not”, he squeaked out. “Besides that, we would have been play dough if it wasn't for your mom slicing through the forest and the golem altogether. Her face was so red that I thought she was a turning into a acerola!”

Lance paled significantly at the memory of his short-haired mother tearing down the forest in one smooth motion of strengthened and solidified water. He could basically feel his blood go cold at the recollection of the snapping bark and the cutting of air as water whizzed past his and Hunk's heads.

“Yeah, my mom can be kind of overprotective”, he said while looking to Hunk and then the rest of the table in an innocent manner.

“Kind of! No, she was like a angry mother goose. It was horrifying what she did to that golem. His mother's water surrounded the thing like a coffin before she moved the water at such a fast pace that it eroded the creature into dust!”

Everyone suddenly had wide eyes and questions were flying through the air about his mother.

Allura was the first to stop the flurry of questions though, “how about we introduce ourselves to Lance first and then let's head to morning practice? We can talk about this topic later paladins.”

Lance perked up at the word paladins and his mouth opened cheerfully. His eyes sparkled with a child-like wonder as he looked to Allura. 

“Paladins...as in the paladins of Voltron”, Lance questioned in a hurry as if just bringing up the topic would embarrass him.

“Ah-n-no...that's been our team name for awhile now, but that is a good idea. I believe that would be a perfect team name for us”, she spoke calmly and almost gently towards Lance. How could she not when the other was looking at her with such hopeful and dreamy eyes?

Besides, there wasn't a soul in the universe who didn't know the story of Voltron: The Legendary Defender.

It was a perfect idea.

“We do have five people to fit the image of the legendary defender. I'll talk to Coran about it and then the bureau to see if we can have it switched to that. Brilliant idea Lance.”

Lance's eyes were quickly taken over by that mischievous look that Keith was beginning to grow a distaste for.

In a alluringly soft voice, he flirted, “I always knew you were the one who would see the best in me.” 

Keith sagged his shoulders and groaned. The rest of the room filling with noises of distaste. Shiro was the only one who hadn't made a noise and had instead settled for pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing.

Allura puffed her cheeks out and flat out ignored Lance's moves towards her while she crossed her arms.

"Voltron is a very good idea. Thank you Lance", Shiro said when he had moved his hand away from his face.

Keith decided to be today's hero as he saved them from this awkward situation. He looked at Lance in a devilish way, his eyes lighting up, “actually—after we all finish introducing ourselves. Me and the land-fish had a deal.”

Lance's ocean orbs were staring at him before Lance scoffed and waved his hand around casually, “yeah I'm going to show this hot-head just how cold the ocean can be.”

“Oh yeah—what can you possibly do to me jellyfish”, Keith grunted as he stood up and leaned over the table to enter Lance's personal space enough for the other to either get uncomfortable and back away or take up his silent challenge.

“I'm so going to stick you in a whirlpool pretty boy”, Lance gritted out as he got right up in Keith's face. His fingers and palms splayed across the table as he leaned forward.

A part of him was telling him to pull away, and yet most of him was telling him that he was centimeters apart from doing something he might or might not regret.

Before he could ponder on that anymore though, a puff of hot air attacked his face like a molten blizzard and he flew backwards from the table chair with shocked eyes. He could feel the blood under his facial skin burn and sizzle at the harsh exhaust. 

The metal frame of the piece of furniture clinked against the ground along with the loud thud from Lance's body. He could feel his skin dry slightly where the fire-bender had decided to breathe scorching wind from his lings onto Lance's face.

Keith coughed out a satisfied laugh at the shocked expression on Lance's face.

His purplish-red eyes looked down at Lance in a mocking yet playful gesture.

“That's! That is just not okay!!” Lance whined as he rubbed at his now dry and chapped lips in a sad attempt to rejuvenate them as he glared at Keith. 

Keith was holding back his laughter while the rest of the group was chuckling at Lance's misfortunes, but Shiro was the one to resolve this quickly.

“Okay, okay. Introductions everyone please, Keith c'mon stop laughing at Lance”, Shiro said in a shaky manner as he outstretched his metal hand to Lance.

Lance grabbed the offered hand with an embarrassed smile and a quick 'thank you'. The taller of the two looked at the boy and felt his heart twist at the honestly very cute embarrassed expression. 

“Anything for a fellow team member”, he said happily as Lance got to his feet. Pidge was the next to speak out loud once they were done huffing out laughs.

“I'm Pidge! Your amazing and brilliant technician. I have the ability of ecokinesis. If you have any questions about the team dynamics or what we do on a daily basis, just come to me”, they placed their hands on their hips and smiled with all the force of a burning star.

"Edcokini-what", Lance asked in a oblivious manner, "english please?"

Pidge visibly sulked and took a different approach, "basically I can control and morph the numerous cytisus on earth's global plane and--."

Lance had held up a hand and Pidge crossed their arms before speaking again in a exhausted manner, "plants. I can control plants."

Lance felt himself melting under the expression of the green dressed paladin despite it being frustrated. He found that the other gave him an air of calm. It was similar to how he felt around Hunk, only slightly different in how the other wasn't only warm and bright but possibly the smartest person on the team.

They made him feel safe.

He nodded in understanding.

Next was Shiro, who spoke from behind him in a deep rumble. The other had yet to sit back down in his chair after assisting Lance.

The water-bender's body involuntarily shivered at the sound before he turned his head to settle his bright blue gaze on a scarred face.

“You already know of my name, but you probably don't know my ability. I have the ability of atmokinesis. I can control each and every trait of the weather”, Shiro said proudly.

Lance's eyes shined with a newfound wonder as a smile broke across his face.

“That's amazing Shiro!” He said enthusiastically, “I didn't know that anyone had a ability t--”, before he could praise the black and white haired male any further Keith broke in.

“We are on a schedule jellyfish”, Keith said sternly as he crossed his arms in a disapproving manner, “stop kissing ass so we can all finish.”

Lance scoffed and Shiro gave Keith a disapproving look at the harsh comment. The fire-bender couldn't help the slight jealousy, and he couldn't tell anymore if it was for Lance or if it was for Shiro.

It should be for Shiro, the other was his lover for god's sake. 

“Pryokinesis. Fire is my element. You also know my name since Hunk introduced us yesterday”, Keith said in a more calm and tranquil voice.

Lance glared at Keith but acknowledged him in a bitter manner, “like I could forget exaltado!” 

Keith's tilted his head in confusion at the term, and Lance simply shrugged so he didn't have to explain the change in language.

Allura was the next to speak, and she did it in a strong and friendly way. “My name is Allura and I am from the continent Altea. I have the ability of Cryokinesis. Ice for short, but I have mastered it to the point where I can morph it in many different ways.”

Lance watched her talk about her abilities with such a keen fondness and he felt the need to protect and dote on her immediately. She was definitely a motherly figure to the group. Possibly an older sister with the way everyone seemed to focus on her.

Even Keith was smiling lightly, and Lance could feel his heart lurch. Why was it that everyone could put that smile on Keith's face, but all Lance ever did was get disdain. And when he did get a rare smile or laugh it was at his damaged pride and misfortune.

He felt hopelessness grasp his lungs in a deathly grip as he lost his breath.

Keith, from what he could see so far, was amazing. Beyond amazing, a true prodigy in every sense of the word. While the fire-bender was a natural at most things that came to him, Lance had to pour blood and sweat into anything he was interested in. 

What he wanted in this moment was the others approval. And it looked like this was going to be a want that costed him not only his blood but a part of his soul. 

Keith was someone who didn't give his love freely it seemed. Lance could find it in himself to respect that, and he would battle Keith until the other gave him a piece of what everyone else seemed to have.

He was shaken from his ogling at Keith, when a warm familiar hand wrapped around his neck in a snug embrace. Since when had Hunk stood up from the table?

“Lance already knows everything about me”, he pointed a thumb at himself happily, “we have been hanging out, and talking since we were little kids after all”, Hunk beamed towards everyone.

The water-bender felt his insides melt at the soft feeling Hunk gave him. It felt much better than his previous yearning and sulking.

His lips curled up in a sultry smile as he responded to the Hawaiian in a happy tone, "yeah we are the best of buds!"

Allura nodded her head up and slammed her hands on the table. The forgotten plates of barely finished food jumping at the sudden motion.

“Well, I will lead us up to the practice room to finish whatever deal they made together, and then we will all commence some group exerciser with Lance!”

Keith felt his heart burn at the idea of having another sparring partner.

"Let's go jellyfish."

"Mullets first."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be posting a chapter later tonight or tomorrow. Be ready!!


	5. Third Degree Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith made a mistake. He always made mistakes. 
> 
> Luckily, this one had his heart spinning in joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy fluffy Klance. Next chapter will be different.
> 
> Keith looks like Ben 10's fire guy form, or the lava monster in Moana. If the explanation was confusing at all?
> 
> Changed my tumblr URL to @keiths-thighs
> 
> Follow for some sweet ass memes
> 
> Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to leave a comment, or drop a kudos! <3

Everyone else who wasn't already standing up on their feet got up quickly when Allura had started to move towards the door. Each and every member of the very odd group was now following behind the ice witch obediently and quietly.

She led the way towards the training wing of the large building by swinging open two solid metal doors wide for everyone else.

A long open hallway stood in front of them and the dimmed lights on each side lit up brightly as if welcoming them.

Lance felt himself swallow at the glorious feeling it gave him as he looked at the walls that were littered with lights and trophies from missions the group had gone on.

Pidge, Hunk, and Lance followed closely behind Allura as her hair swayed in a hypnotic movement when she stepped forward.

The three of them began talking about the interior of the hallway and the importance of each and every object. Lance was making awkward hand signs as he pointed to any object within his sights and asked if it belonged to their group. 

Pidge's answer was always a tired and slightly aggravated 'yes', but the look on their face was positively glowing at getting the chance to remember and explain how they got the objects in the first place.

Hunk was rubbing the back of his head and motioning towards Lance with his other hand to try and tell the water-bender to be nice to the smaller of the three of them.

“C'mon Lance, go easy on Pidge”, he pleaded even though he knew the lanky ocean-dweller would most likely not relent.

“Hey! I'm not doing anything to them! I just wanted to know how exactly all these...things got here”, he said in his own defense as he gazed at a glowing purple case near them.

Hunk and Pidge sighed in unison at Lance, knowing full well that he could ask about their mission trophies without doing it in such a sarcastic and teasing manner.

“Woah, holy quiznack! Where did this one come from!?” 

Hunk was forced to suck in his gut so Lance could get by and view the item in the narrow space. The brown-haired male quickly took the chance to dart to the case he had been eyeballing and mush his face to the thick glass on his right. 

Inside was a very large metal arm with purple electricity flowing out of it and attacking the cage it was forced in.

It floated in a zero gravity case, and moved around slowly to show all of its very intricate designs along with the glowing purple that came from each of its edges and creases. The eerie purple continued to light up his Lance's tan face which was making his ocean-blue eyes pop with a deadly neon. 

Shiro was standing to the far right and watched the younger carefully.

His breath caught in his throat as he witnessed Lance's pupils morph into cat-like slits and his irises change into swirling patterns of bright blue and white. 

The oceanic demigods were always known for wearing their hearts on their sleeves through their eyes. Everyone knew that, but this was the first time Shiro had ever seen it in person.

And Shiro couldn't help feeling in that very moment that the ocean-dweller was a hundred times more impressive then what they went through in the mission that involved the galra-tech arm.

Lance was busy dragging his fingers against the most prominent feature of the arm. 

It was the purple electricity that was caught in a deadly dance across the glass. The bolts were stemming from where the metal had melted below the bicep where someone had sliced through it with a very hot blade.

Lance found it bewitching instead of scary. It looked like the outer rim of the arm, where the blade had made a clean cut, was unfolding in layers of melted steel; like a flower that was blooming and showing them it's very open core.

It was beyond stunning Lance thought. Until Shiro spoke up.

“I wouldn't stand to close to that. It's a Galra arm”, he said in a voice laced with disgust and dread. Lance's eyes had torn away to focus on Shiro's scarred face. Blazing blue met with steely gray in a harmonious way as Lance backed away from the glass slowly.

Shiro looked at the arm in the case before nodding towards Lance who was now placing his hands behind his back and walking back into the middle of Hunk and Pidge. 

Shiro was breathing a sigh of relief.

“Pretty cool for something so evil”, he said loudly before moving on and asking about other trophies which Pidge responded to begrudgingly.

Shiro had slowed his pace to match Keith's while he rubbed at his own metal galra arm in an insecure fashion. He quickly decided that he should be focusing on his smaller lover before anyone else though seeing as how Keith was lagging behind. 

The fire-bender wasn't very far behind to begin with, but he was at a good length away from everyone else.

“Keith...what's wrong”, Shiro questioned the other with a worried side-glance as released his hand from his metal arm and allowed his steel and black mesh fingers to brush against Keith's cheek to get rid of the hair that was blocking Shiro's view of the others face.

Keith responded to his name being called by looking up into eyes that held a stirring storm and relented to the taller by lacing their fingers together and moving closer. He could never really deny Shiro anything after all it seems.

“Lance is what's wrong. I just can't seem to stop fighting with him, and I'm one year older! I really should be acting more mature I guess”, he breathed in a stressed voice as he shrugged lightly.

Shiro nodded in agreement before advice poured from his lips like a sweet honey, “listen Keith—I-I know that it's hard to accept new members in when it has always been me, you, Allura, Hunk, Pidge, and Coran, but Lance is going to be family. He's Hunk's childhood friend.”

If Keith had ears they would have been folded back as he looked to the hard-wood floor. 

“No—I mean I understand that Shiro. It's just our dynamics or something. He talks and we start fighting. I mean at first I hated him if I'm going to be honest”, Keith's lips curved into a frown and his eyebrows angled up as he motioned his hands in front of him. 

“I still don't even like the idea of sharing a room with him. What if he tries to drown me in my sleep”, Keith sputtered out, and Shiro laughed softly.

“I'm positive that Lance would not do that to you firefly”, he said in a sweet adoring way to sooth his lover's anxieties.

This was so hard to explain. He had all these theories lined up to start hating Lance, and now that he was actually dealing with the kid, he couldn't find any scrap of hate in him. He didn't trust Lance by any means yet, but he found the male to be appealing in a certain way.

“He's kind of cute and it makes me want to punch him in the face”, Keith moved his free hand to his hair to ruffle it in embarrassed anger. Shiro, lifted his other hand up to his mouth to laugh. 

His silver eyes looked to the ceiling as he thought of what to say next.

“Yes, he is quite...cute”, Shiro mumbled remembering the curious gaze towards their trophy, and Keith smiled warmly in agreement.

–

When they arrived in the exceedingly large light-filled dome room with numerous practice tools, Lance felt his heart flutter and skip a beat.

There was weapons of every sort imaginable in a cage to the left of him. 'A Keith paradise', he guessed seeing as how that's where the fire-bender went when they all walked in. 

Large window-like cubbies littered the very far-right corner of the dome as Lance looked around, and when he squinted just right he could see the symbols of the elements on them, and the water-bender assumed that was for each of them. 

Curse his now human eyes for not being able to see such long distances.

This arena was probably half the size of a football field, and the thing was filled with nothing but torture devices that were here to strengthen them instead of kill them. 

Above them, high along the roof, were large windows all around that allowed light to filter in from the outside. Of course, there was dimmed stage lights in each corner of the roof if they wanted to practice at night, but the windows did a much better job currently.

Altogether, the entirety of the room made him fear the future that was going to be filled with aching muscles and wounded body parts, but it also excited him in a certain sense. Yes, there was no doubt that he would become stronger here.

Shiro had allowed his hand to drop back to his side as Keith went to go search for a sparing weapon, or something he could use in his duel with Lance.

The weather-bender looked at his metal finger tips before he looked to Lance's back. Everyone had already moved to their very own stations to begin practicing with their elements and weapons, but Lance was just standing there and staring awkwardly.

Shiro found himself smiling and giving Lance a gentle slap on the back with his human hand, and he could feel the breath exit Lance's body in a huff.

The water-bender flipped around and looked at him with wide and betrayed eyes; a flush now very much prominent from being caught staring at everything.

Shiro could feel his lips curl slightly in amusement before he moved forward, grabbed the others chin with cold metal fingers and turned his head to the water station where Lance would be spending most of his time. 

The ocean-dweller was just too much fun to tease honestly, and Shiro was discovering that he might end up adopting a new bad habit towards the brown-haired male.

He could see why Keith was arguing with the other if it got these kinds of expressions as a reward.

“That there”, he said as he watched Lance's face burn a darkened red and his eyes flicker with hidden emotions, “belongs to you. So go over and check it out.”

Lance nodded dumbly in the others grip and waited for Shiro's hand to drop from his chin before he moved at a faster than usual pace to the blue painted area. The entire time over he was rubbing his cheeks and muttering words.

Shiro was right, he concluded when he arrived to the station, it was filled with Atlantean weapons that were meant to empower his natural abilities.

Keith had grabbed his favorite leather pair of fire-empowering gloves, and while he strapped them on tightly he looked over to Lance who was currently touching everything and trying them on.

Tan fingers trailed over Javelin's, swords, bracelets, staffs, and wands before it stopped at a pair of cuffs.

His body was already decorated in heavy artifacts and crowns as he gazed at the new item that had caught his attention.

The two well-designed objects were a beautiful marine gold. Blue gems and white pearls surrounded the cuffs in a way that brought everything together for each piece.

The thick bracelets also had small chains that connected from the cuffs to a tiny ring that belonged on both of his middle fingers for each separate bracelet. Design's and words in Atlantean littered the metal objects in such a well-thought out way.

He could feel his starless pupils thin once again as his breath got stuck in his throat when he touched them. Energy surged through his body like a lightning bolt and he inwardly groaned in satisfaction.

God, he had never wanted to wear anything more in his life.

The fire-bender watched Lance very closely as the other looked at the 'León de Agua' cuffs from Poseidon's hidden treasuries with a ecstatic expression.

The cuffs had been a gift to the water-attribute department of the school from Lumosa several years ago along with many other water-favoring weapons from what Keith could remember. 

Lance was hesitating with the cuffs for far too long, and Keith had decided enough was enough; he wasn't going to wait anymore. His body moved before his mind could process what he was doing.

Second's later he was reaching under Lance's left arm and their bodies were pressing snug together in a delicate way. Keith could feel the slight intake of breath as he was chest to back with Lance.

The fire-bender had his tight long-sleeved shirt on, but Lance had a backless tight tank-top with a snug turtle-neck. Lance's skin was cold—really cold. 

Keith had even thought for a split second that Lance was actually an ice-attribute, but then he remembered most of the demigods related to water were cold-blooded.

The water-bender could feel the blood in his back skin bubble at the touch of the fire-bender's warm clothed chest. It wasn't hot, but it was warm enough to spoke him into swiveling his head to look right into electrifying red with a shocked face.

Keith grabbed Lance's tan wrist quickly and applied the cuff to it with a loud click as he ignored the others expression. He then grabbed the dangling chain near Lance's mid-drift and slid the ring that was at the very end onto Lance's middle finger slowly.

Lance's eyes crackled like a wave crashing against the sand as he side-eyed Keith when the other went to the other cuff, and brushed under his right arm to repeat the process.

The way the black hair stood out from Keith's skin was almost addictive to look at, and the way the purple met with red in a seductive dance as Keith payed close attention to the cuffs was almost too much for his heart.

Before Lance could even fully enjoy the heat and warmth from Keith, it was gone. Like a mid summer's storm the fire-bender had left and was walking to the middle of the arena in an embarrassed hurry.

Everyone else but Lance could see the way red leaked into the fire-bender's face as he strutted away from the blue station quickly, all the way muttering 'what the quiznack, stupid fish can't even figure out how to wear jewelry', in a continuous pattern until he reached the center.

The water-bender huffed out a sigh before he rubbed at the metal bands on his wrists. He could feel his body missing the warmth it was provided with. He was cold-blooded, like any other water-attribute, and his body couldn't always supply him with the warmth it desired. 

But, the even though the small moment of warmth was questionable, because Keith didn't like him, it was still very much welcomed.

“What are you waiting for jellyfish, you want me to do everything for you? Get over here, we had a deal”, Keith prompted as he moved his hand in a swift circle. A large ball of fire sparked to life within his hand. The hissing and crackling sound was almost painful to the ears as it swished around in Keith's pale palm.

His blush was long gone, and replaced with a smug grin.

“Shut up stupid mullet!” Lance yelled over to Keith as he stripped off the other garments he had on and began trudging to the side opposite of the fire-bender. 

He was almost jealous at the sizable ball of fire that was in Keith's palm. But, what made him truly jealous was what happened next. 

Keith was harmonizing with his element. It was something that even the most skilled of demigods had trouble doing.

The fire bender's skin began to turn a volcanic black as the fire from his palm seeped into his body. Veins of fire and liquid lava danced across his body from his tattoos to meet the volcanic ash in a mix. When he was covered head to toe as a human volcano he lit up in flames. 

His eye sockets were filled with a beautiful magma orange and red as the veins reached them to give him the look of fiery tears.

He almost missed the once human red and purple of the others irises when he looked at Keith's now glowing demonic ones. 

They were beautiful—no, all of him was. From his now slightly fluffed and smoking hair to the lava dripping down his volcanic black legs.

Keith had turned into a lava monster before his very eyes and Lance could feel nothing but impressed. Not once did fear find it's way into his heart. 

On his way over to his spot across from the fire-attribute, the ocean-dweller reached each hand down to the pouches at his sides and unclipped them. 

Before, anyone could question what Lance was doing; water began to slither out in tendrils over the dirt and grass ground and into the air. 

Awkward shapes filled the surrounding air around them like clouds, and an excited smile plastered over Keith's face to show off the black serrated igneous teeth and the glowing liquid lava tongue.

Smoke puffed from his mouth, and the fire that danced on his body flared up when he laughed.

“What—you can't even form a circle Lance”, Keith teased, and the other simply glared coldly.

“Yeah. Well not everyone can be perfect princess”, Lance replied back in a steamy fashion.

Keith felt his smile drop off his face, and his eyes went cold, if that even seemed possible for him. 

He wasn't perfect, far from it actually. Everything in his life was a hardship, and he only got good at controlling his skills through the many mistakes he had made. 

A perfect person didn't make mistakes.

Each block to his tattoo was a person that had died because of him. A life that was lost because he wasn't perfect. And it would only continue to grow because he couldn't be what he wanted to be. 

Keith felt anger settle low in his stomach. 

The fire-bender focused his energy and allowed another ball of fire to form in his palm. He flipped the flames around and compressed them until the ball of fire had molded into two flaming shapes that resembled knives. 

He tossed one of them to his other hand and twirled the two flaming shapes in each palm easily before he threw one at Lance and then sprinted at the water-bender with the other one.

Lava was left in his wake and it had the floor sizzling and screeching.

At this point, everyone else in the room had frozen in shock and was watching intensely as Keith went all out on their newest member without warning.

Shiro was the only one who had gotten up from his station and had rushed over at a safe distance away.

He would be there if either of the two needed him for any reason or if he had to stop the fight. Despite being there for either of them he couldn't stop the anger that pulsed through his body at Keith's recklessness.

Everyone on their team could harmonize with their elements, it was only Lance who couldn't. 

This was unfair.

“Guys—this”, Shiro spoke loudly for them to hear only to have two shouts filter through the air and cut him off completely from his next words.

“Don't you dare interrupt Shiro!”

“It's fine!”

Shiro shakily sighed as he closed his mouth and went back to watching closely. His fingers twitched in nervousness.

Lance had pulled up the water wall lazily but efficiently enough, and Keith had managed to predict it with the fire blade. Or perhaps he had thought that Lance would be so distracted by making a wall that it would give him a chance to end the fight early.

The wall shattered apart when the thrown knife had hit it and both the knife and wall were splattering across the ground to paint it in water and ash. Keith jumped through the small opening like an agile cat and lunged at Lance.

Lance rolled away swiftly, and pulled the water from the shattered wall up to grab at Keith's leg before the other could touch him with the knife or a part of his body. It pulled Keith to the ground in a hard sizzling thump as the tendril boiled. Dust flew around Keith and Lance actually laughed at the shocked expression.

But, Keith was still grinning even when stunned and there was no way this small set back was going to stop him. He pulled his blade through the water appendage attached to his leg which effectively freed him but destroyed the water along with his blade in a cloud of steam.

He kicked himself up and moved his hand in a circular motion as a wall of flame tore around him and Lance. Lance choked a bit at the smoke and heat that filtered through the air and into his lungs.

The fire-bender then dashed towards Lance and pulled out a igneous blade that glowed from the intricate designs from behind his back. 

When he was close enough to Lance, he easily kicked his foot out to a clothed part of the other which had Lance toppling to the ground. 

Taking the water-bender's incapacitated state as his chance, he placed his favorite blade to Lance's neck while the other was trying to catch his breath and search for his water among the flames.

Each inhale had the blade threatening to break skin, and Lance had to force himself to calm down.

The water-bender froze in fear as his blue eyes churned a dark bluish gray as his chest heaved with the need for oxygen.

“You're not even at the level of a preschooler. You didn't even try to use the cuffs jellyfish”, Keith whispered as he pulled the blade back. “Not to mention you were on defense the entire time.”

“I guess this means I won. I'll tell you what to get rid of today after class”, the fire-bender said lightly as he swiped his hand across his smoking hair. 

He hadn't even broken a sweat.

Before he could pull down the wall of flames though, Lance spoke in an exhausted and venomous voice with a smile dancing on his tan face.

“Again.”

Keith looked forward and was met with an electrifying blue, and he couldn't help the excited smile from plastering over his face.

“Alright. But, you asked for it”, Keith said in an easy shrug as he twirled the blade.

Flames, and water danced for hours as they fought. Lance was littered with many small burns and cuts as he was once again was knocked down to the ground with Keith hovering over him with only a couple of scratches.

Both of them were heaving for air as Keith leaned down right into Lance's face while he awkwardly hovered over the tan body.

“You don't know when to quit do you? You can't possibly be this dumb...some kind of prince you are. You would get people killed”, Keith muttered as his tattoo burned under his shirt in exhaustion from harmonizing so long.

Lance opened his mouth and closed it as he fought for oxygen. 

Shiro was anxiously twiddling his fingers as he battled with the decision to interrupt them and the decision to just let this play out.

Before anyone could react though, tan fingers were grabbing Keith and shoving him off so he fell on his ass backwards. Lance whined when he looked at the blood and burnt skin on his fingers from the momentary touch.

Before anyone could rush to him and tend to his injuries though he got up swiftly and moved to his personal station. 

He pulled off the cuffs with his injured hands as fast as he could manage and placed them on the rack in a loud echoing clatter. His battered body swiveled and he rushed over to the metal arena doors and walked right out.

Keith continued to sit there on the ground in shock as he watched the door clank closed.

Allura was the first to walk over and swat the back of Keith's sweat-drenched hair.

“Kogane! What on earth was going through your mind when you decided to punish Lance?! He is one year younger than you, and unlike the rest of us who have gone through harsh training, he hasn't ever been to a demigod school!”

Keith felt dread wash through his limbs as he was forced to look at the ground. It wasn't Allura's sharp comment or the slap to the back of his head that had him burning holes into the floor though. 

No, it was the fact that when he saw Lance walking out covered in burn wounds and cuts , he had seen the others quickly dampening cheeks as water trailed down them in a sooty trail. 

The fire-bender moved his hands to his face and rubbed roughly with a groan. “Ugh—I fucked up so bad”, he rumbled out.

As he sat on the ground in regret he allowed the lava-like features to retreat back into his tattoo and the black volcanic matter to crack and fall off his body like a second skin. In a couple of minutes he was surrounded by black layers of ash and his human features were back.

Shiro was the next to tap his shoulder when the coast was clear, and when he looked up it was to a angry Hunk, and a infuriated Pidge. Even Shiro was looking at him in a questioning expression.

“I completely forgot he wasn't as trained as we were, and I admit that I was kind of harsh...with my words”, Keith said in a distraught voice. 

“Kind of”, pidge questioned in a sarcastic manner.

“Okay—I went over the top, but he's at fault too!” Keith said in his defense.

“Yes, you are both at fault, but Lance barely knows anyone here. He's closer to you and Hunk than the rest of us right now. So go apologize and make up with him. Remember our talk earlier”, Shiro said in a fatherly and reprimanding tone, “we're going to cancel today's classes and just try to have a bonding period. Teamwork is important after all. You're going to go and talk to him and invite him to movie night.”

Keith felt regret lace his veins, he was one year older. It was his job to be the mature one in this situation. Yet, he had been the one to be beyond immature.

“Yeah. I remember. I'll be back later—just get the movie set up”, Keith whispered as he darted out the same doors Lance had rushed past a little bit ago.

–

Keith decided that before he went to search for Lance, he was going to need to have a first aid kit handy and a pocket healer on him to deal with the injuries he had inflicted on the other.

He couldn't even imagine how the others hands were holding up after Lance had grabbed his molten shoulders in a firm grip just to get Keith away from him.

So in a hurry, he had began to dart down the hallway, through the kitchen, and into the direction of their shared room.

When he finally got to their room and grabbed his personal black leather first aid kit from under his bed, that was when he began his search for Lance. 

He looked for hours and hours, he checked every possible nook and cranny of each room and Keith even bothered to look into the places that couldn't possibly fit the lanky tan demigod. 

The sun was already setting, leaving the sky bathed in beautiful blues, pinks, purples, oranges, and yellows. The mountains and large oaks looked like they were swallowing the sun to make room for the moon in the sky. He had been searching for so long, and still there was no sign of Lance anywhere.

Numerous campus lights began to glow as the sky continued to grow darker and darker. It had taken him all day where he had looked almost everywhere in this large campus and he had yet to find the ocean-eyed male.

Keith had even tried to check the Atlantean zone, where a fire-attribute was very unwelcome. Looks of disgust and confusion had followed him like the plague through that entire building until he had finally left.

He only got to do so an hour and a half later when he was positive he had checked everywhere too.

When the sky had finally gotten pitch black after a couple more hours, the stars and street lights were the only things left to guide him as he finally decided to look other places than CaeLum's buildings for the water-bender.

As he looked and searched for a puff of brown, he thought over his words. 

'Some kind of prince you are...you would get people killed', whispered a voice in his head and he flinched in shock. 

Lance probably had reasons for wanting to be here, and Keith had no reason to insult the other like that. Keith knew perfectly well that he had been attacking the other too when he said that, but Lance had no idea that he was hurting Keith when he called him perfect.

If anything, Keith was more in the wrong here than Lance was.

He should have been more open and told the other that what he had said was wrong and rude, instead he had allowed his anger to grab a hold of him like a strangling cobra.

That single sentence he had said was obviously what had Lance getting away from him in such a hurry, enough that he would even risk self-mutilation. He swallowed thickly as he remembered the globs of tears that had dirtied the others stunning complexion as he shoved his way out of their training room. 

Whether it was the burns or the sentence, he had no clue.

How could he have been cruel enough to insult what Lance had spent his entire life growing up to be. The other was even at this school instead of learning his princely responsibilities, which meant that something had to have happened. 

Something terrible too.

Keith pinched the bridge of his nose in regret as he stopped on the dirt path that had trees littered around him.

He could figure out why Lance had reacted that way later when he apologized to him. First, he had to find Lance and treat the injuries he had inflicted before they became permanent.

Before they became a reminder of what Keith had done wrong.

The fire-bender closed his eyes as he thought of places where the other might hide from searching eyes, but while he looked around his eyes stopped on a little grocery store.

There in the window, was a sadly drawn image of a cartoon octopus with scraggly drawn Olympian numbers and characters underneath it. 

He didn't know how it had happened so fast, maybe it was the big globs of white and black from the cartoon that had hypnotized him into the store, but the goofy looking octopus had reminded him of Lance, and here he was standing outside the store with two large bags and the answer to where Lance was.

How could he have forgotten that place. It was where he also went to hide when he didn't want to be around people, and it was the only place he hadn't checked.

How Lance had found it, he had no idea. But, he was glad he had a good idea of where the water-bender had gone.

Keith sighed as he shoved his wallet back into tight pants and began to move off the path and into the forest. Dirt was replaced with walls of grass and trees. Bushes blocked his path as he shimmied past them and raised the bags high enough so they couldn't get torn.

He had no doubt that Lance would be where he was going.

Keith lifted his hands up more to have the bags sling backwards on each of his elbows so they wouldn't fling around. By doing that he could allow the black first aid bag to reach up over the bushes since it was dangling on his waist.

After another hour of treading past bushes and tall grass, he had finally arrived.

He moved his bag-ridden hands down from their place in the sky and pushed the large stalks of grass away to show the glowing bio-luminescent pond that it hid.

Dragonflies, and fireflies danced like lights, and frogs, turtles, bird, fish, and other strange creatures from fairy tales danced around in the pool where they were living out their lives. 

The glowing blue from the pool was reflecting off the trees, lily pads, grasses, and rocks in the most exquisite of ways.

The water was very clear, and you could see the life that was in it, the many corals, seaweeds, and other plants that had claimed it as their home.

A very content and love-filled smile filled his face as he looked around the familiar surroundings. That was until he looked around and saw Lance.

There was the injured demigod who was gazing down at his dirtied and bloodied hands. In between the thumb and index finger of his right hand was a beautiful blue gem. The light from the water was swishing across Lance's face in a colorful array, like the northern lights, but more blue instead of green.

He had his shoe-less feet in the pool as he sat on the stone edge and from what Keith could hear the other was talking to something.

That's when he saw it. 

Fish of all kinds and shapes were all sticking their heads out listening intently to Lance, and some were nibbling at his feet in the water to clean them.

Globs of glowing water were floating in the air, and a small shark was leaping back and forth from every glowing bubble as Lance slowly moved the water into a different shapes to form a small obstacle course.

Lance's cat-like eyes were glowing like drops of the water itself and the other no longer looked quite human. Keith finally realized that the gem in his hand was the one that had originally been on his forehead, and without it he looked completely different.

He had black scleras replacing the familiar white and tan fish gills were on the sides of his neck that breathed in air. His ears were elongated like Alluras and the jewelry that adorned them seemed to glow and shine brighter in the water's glow.

While he talked to the shark and the fish Keith could see the serrated teeth that could easily kill if Lance had the intent to do so.

He was dazzling Keith decided. 

Lance was more beautiful than even the goddess of love could ever hope to be.

Keith decided to watch a little longer, how could he not when Lance was laughing brightly at the shark and then proceeding to fuss and complain over the burns when he moved his hands to reshape the water and steady the gem.

When the fire-bender decided he had gotten his fill of Lance's laughter and his dumb empty insults, he stepped out slowly and showed himself to every creature within the pond. Everything seemed to stop their movements and noises to watch him.

The water-bender looked as if he was ready to dart, as his leg began to pull out of the water and his body took on the stance of a fight-or-flight motion.

Keith was quick to react however as he held out his two open palms in a peaceful manner. The plastic bags crinkling noises were the only sounds the filtered through the air.

The water that was floating in the sky with the shark in it had fallen back into the pond in a loud splash when Lance had been distracted. 

“Wait—Lance please”, Keith muttered quickly.

Lance stopped and the fishes moved to look back and forth from both of the males. The shark that had fallen had also swam upwards to look at the two.

“What do you want Keith”, Lance asked as his eyebrows furrowed.

The small shark had turned to watch Keith with its small black eyes as if expecting an answer.

Keith watched the creature eerily before he turned his full attention on Lance.

“I wanted to apologize. And—I want to help you with those”, he said pointing one of his fingers to the burns that laced Lance's hands.

The water-bender seemed to relax visibly and he looked at his lap tiredly and then gazed at Keith expectantly.

“Okay, fine”, Lance mumbled and Keith took that chance to hop along the pebbled path to the edge Lance was at before the other could change his mind.

Lance looked up to watch Keith awkwardly balance two bags and a first aid kit while he danced along the rocks to get to where the ocean-dweller was. 

Tan hands outstretched to help Keith with the bags so that the fire-bender could sit down, but instead Keith threw them next to Lance and plopped down with the first aid kit in one of his hands.

Their shoulders were pressed together snugly and Lance had a nervous expression on his face as he lowered his hands. Keith struggled to get comfortable on the small ledge with Lance, and when he finally did, he pulled the kit into his lap.

“I don't want them getting worse”, Keith mumbled awkwardly.

Lance nodded his head before turning his body so a knee was on the ledge and he only had one foot in the small pond-like-ocean.

A couple of faeries buzzed around them with singsong voices and a couple sat down on Keith's shoulders and began to braid his hair.

The fire-bender whispered some soft familiar 'hellos' out and cuddled his cheek to one of the aquatic faeries before he began to fiddle the first aid kit open and moved to grasp Lance's hands in such a fragile and delicate manner.

“How did you know where I was”, Lance muttered as he gazed at the small beauty of a fairy on Keith's shoulder in faint jealousy.

Keith considered coughing out a lie that would cover himself, but when he looked back up from the hands to those curious eyes, he couldn't do it.

He leaned forward more as he pulled out some of the healing ointment, “well, uh. This is where I usually go when I'm feeling...well bad”, the fire-attribute murmured as his face heated up quickly and the faerie pulled away to avoid the burning cheeks.

Keith had been coming here for years, most of his life actually. Anytime he failed at a mission, or a complication arose, this is where he would be. 

Keith was now so focused on Lance's hand and spreading the ointment over the scrappy skin so carefully that he didn't see the goofy smile that plastered on Lance's face.

When Keith got to the charred skin near the fried edges of tan skin and rubbed the ointment on them, Lance cried out softly. His ocean-filled eyes watered again at the renewed pain and Keith sputtered when Lance tried to pull away.

Quickly, he grabbed the wrist of the hand he was working on and pulled Lance forward so that they were face to face. That's when Keith could see the red-rimmed and tired eyes of his new fishy-friend.

“I-I'm sorry, but I have to get it all over and wrap it so that it'll be gone tomorrow”, Keith leaned forward to hush Lance and whisper words of apologies as he pressed his forehead against the ocean-dwellers in a comforting motion.

Lance stopped struggling and gave in to the warmth that Keith was offering. He allowed the emotions to blanket him as Keith finished one of his hands. The way those eyes were solely focused on him had his stomach filling with butterflies that were quickly threatening to break free.

Keith had wrapped it thickly and efficiently before he moved on to the other injured hand.

Blobs of tears continued to hit Keith's working hands and each time it happened his skin would twitch before the tear slowly evaporated or trailed down his skin to hit his and lance's clothed legs.

Once Keith was finished wrapping Lance's hands, he reached one of his palms up to cup one of Lance's soft and moist cheeks. 

He looked closely at the other from this distance and tried to map out every hidden feature that you wouldn't be able to see unless you were at a close distance. 

Keith could see the layers of freckles that made up constellations under the soot on the others dark skin, and the way his long eyelashes licked his cheeks every time he blinked. Lance's eyes were now wide and expectant while he stood up straight and looked into Keith's fiery eyes.

Keith moved once again before his mind could process what exactly he was doing. He moved his body upwards and placed his peachy pale lips to Lance's eyelashes, and then his cheeks, and all the way down to his cheek til he reached the finely sculpted chin. 

Each soft press of his lips to the others tears made them disappear under the warmth of his loving embrace.

The only sound coming from around them was the soft gossiping of the faeries and the soft gasps from Lance with every heated kiss.

Keith couldn't help it, hearing the others soft sobs, and the absolutely wrecked expression on Lance's face was painful. And it was all his fault to begin with.

His breath continued to fan over Lance's now burning cheeks as he pressed his nose and lips to every piece of skin that was marred with tears; Lance had long since closed his eyes as he soaked in Keith's affection.

The hot breath that rolled over his face didn't hurt like it had earlier today, no this time it was simply a humble comfort among the press of skin on skin.

It was relaxing and the heat against the cold from the chilly night air was welcomed.

Lance opened his ocean orbs to look into half-lidded blazing eyes before Keith's gaze widened and he shot away with wide eyes at the realization of what he had done, his body lurched towards the pond, and Lance reached forward in an attempt to grab the other only to have both of them topple down into the water.

The water splashed out in a large circle and creatures darted away to safety when they had hit the surface creating a chaotic stir in the once tranquil pond.

Keith felt the water before his body could channel the pain and he quickly shot up to the surface and out of the water like a drenched cat. 

His eyes flickered back to the water where he scrambled back to help pull a sputtering Lance out when the other had reached the surface. They both flopped onto the grass and Lance breathed heavily beside him in small intakes of breath. Keith was heaving at the uncomfortable feeling of liquid drying quickly on his skin.

Before he could comment or say anything to back up his previous actions though, he looked to Lance who had simply met his gaze.

Lance was the first to fill the air with happy and content laughter as he grinned at Keith.

“That has got to be the most fun I've had in years! Who knew the hothead had emotions besides anger”, Lance had to reach forward to grasp his stomach in slight pain as laughs tore out of him; he was forced to roll over to avoid choking in a fit of giggles.

Keith was in shock at the sound of tinkling bells coming from the other, and he couldn't help it. Despite feeling awful from having the water dry at such a quick rate on his warm skin, he had to admit that getting soaked wasn't half bad. 

No, it was fun.

Keith sputtered out laughs and giggles as he shoved Lance to get the other to stop so he could stop himself.

It was just so contagious and good.

By the time they had finished laughing, which was after Keith had snorted and everything had started up again, Lance was shaking slightly to get oxygen in his body, and Keith's lips were turning into an unhealthy blue from the cold as he tried to breathe from laughing.

“I'm going to b-be so ripped tomorrow”, Lance joked and Keith shoved at him once again.

The fire-bender climbed back up the small hill and over to the bags where he pulled off his shirt and pulled a towel out of the plastic bag. The sopping wet shirt had replaced it's place within the plastic.

Lance rolled over, now clean and free from the dirt and soot when he was washed by the water, to look at Keith. The other still had small burns and cuts all over him but Keith could take care of that when they were with everyone else and watching a movie.

Hopefully warm too. Keith would kill for a nice and toasty bath after the day he had.

He couldn't wait to tell Shiro about what happened with Lance and how the other was quickly making him feel so alive and good.

Just as how Shiro does. 

He felt so whole with Lance around, like he was missing the last piece of himself and Lance had just morphed into the perfect puzzle piece. 

When he finished drying himself off and Lance had climbed up the hill, Keith threw the towel right into his face.

Lance almost fell backwards back into the water before he steadied himself by swinging his hands and arms in a windmill motion. Finally, he reached up and pulled off the towel to yap at Keith.

But what was before him was beyond mesmerizing. Even more beautiful than the glove from earlier.

Keith 's dripping chest was reflecting the lights from the pond and the others tattoo was burning a beautiful crimson. The fire-bender looked back at a flabbergasted Lance when a complaint wasn't made and he moved his hand to push his bangs backwards and out of his face for a better view.

There was a full-flushed Lance shaking and biting his lip with a towel in his arms.

“Cat got your tongue jellyfish”, Keith whispered with a sultry glance before he tied his shirt behind his waist and grabbed the first aid kit to zip it up for later. He was going to have to replace the soaking bandages and ointment on Lance's hands.

“Make sure you use that towel—I got it for you after all”, the paler of the two said in a content tone.

Keith watched as Lance floundered and began to cough out excuses for his staring, “what—no! Absolutely not, I was not looking at your ab—no! I was looking at the bushes. Yeah! Uh—towel...thanks.”

Keith chuckled before he lifted one eyebrow at the other and let out a, “mhm yeah okay.”

Lance pulled the towel over his head like a cowl, and then crossed his arms with a heavy pout.

“Hey Lance”, Keith asked while he stood all the way up with two bags, and a first aid kit in the other hand. The faeries danced around his head before retreating into the pond's water with glitter and dust in their wake.

“Yeah”, Lance asked in a pouty voice.

“I'm really sorry...about everything”, Keith whispered so low that he thought Lance hadn't even heard him.

But a strong and loud “I know”, told him otherwise.

Lance began to walk past him but before he could get anywhere Keith held out a hand to stop Lance. They needed to get back, and it was getting late.

Keith quickly shoved the larger filled bag into the others hands and then began to walk towards the trees and bushes away from the pond and towards their dorm building.

Slowly, Lance opened the bag and what stared up at him was a fluffy new blue bed set that had goofy looking aquatic creatures, and a giant stuffed octopus with a cat-like grin and playful eyes.

Pink seeped into his face and he felt his heart almost stop when his head whipped up to look at Keith's retreating back. He clutched the bag closer to his chest and trailed after the other in a rush.

When he finally got close enough to the fire-bender, he got a explanation.

“Replace your big ass bed set with that one!” Keith yelled as he hurried further away to avoid the awkward situation.

Lance rushed after the other with a large grin and upturned eyes that seemed to sparkle in joy.

“I don't have to replace anything else!?!” He yelled towards the fire-bender.

“Ask again and I will change my mind Lance! And no telling anyone about the pond or I'll kick your ass again!” Keith yelped out.

Lance laughed happily and slowed his pace when he was shoulder to shoulder to Keith.

Little did Lance know that Keith was looking away with a hand covering his mouth to hide a similar blushing expression.

Keith didn't even realize how in shock his body was as Lance laced their fingers together and began to sway them in a sweet swinging motion.

Oh, Lance was falling and he wasn't going to realize until he hit the bottom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooo happy fish boy!!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!! HMU on tumblr with what you think :D!! Share some headcanons or guess about what you think will happen.
> 
> I will add italic to this chapter when I'm done with my trip!!!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Kudos are appreciated.


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